Whangarei man Tony Ware, who claimed police set up two elaborate cannabis operations in shipping containers, one of which was buried, has been found guilty by a jury.
Ware, 47, was found guilty of stealing more than $17,000 worth of electricity and cultivating cannabis after police searched his rural property in Whareora on August 11, 2011.
Ware, who represented himself and said he was pro-cannabis, claimed police were lying and during 2 hours, while he was away from the property, seven officers brought in hundreds of cannabis plants and growing equipment and deliberately set him up.
The jury heard from police how they used bolt cutters to open the container above ground, which revealed 187 cannabis plants, with lights suspended from the roof and a fan.
The second container discovered underground was accessed through a manhole hidden by a pile of rubbish. The container was split into three compartments and contained 142 cannabis plants.