At-home cannabis-growing operation reveals drugs, cash, luxury cars and firearms in Canterbury

Police found almost 3kg of cannabis head and leaves pre-packed into snaplock bags at Antony Coles' houses and business. Photo / 123RF

When police raided Antony Coles’ home they found a sophisticated cannabis cultivation setup in the garage and bedrooms and several high-powered air rifles.

As their search continued they found almost 3kg worth of drugs in rubbish bags in the wardrobe and bathroom and plants in the back of a Ford truck hidden under a tent.

They also discovered more than $35,000 in cash under a pile of clothes on the sofa. Two rare Lamborghinis were also seized during the raid which were linked to Coles’ Facebook page.

Despite the huge volume of drugs, and the fact he was using about six times the national average power consumption, Coles insisted the cannabis was for his own use, not supply. But, it’s an argument a judge wasn’t buying in court.

Now the 48-year-old, who has been drug-free for a “significant” period of time, has been sentenced to eight months’ home detention at the Christchurch District Court.

According to the summary of facts in October 2020, police searched several properties associated with Coles as part of an investigation into a cannabis-growing operation in Canterbury.

Coles owns two neighbouring properties in Mairehau and a panel and paint business in Waltham.

As police made their way into a bedroom they found 52 cannabis plants along with plant nutrients, high-intensity discharge lamps, power boards and transformers, fans, extractor ducting and a box containing cannabis head.

Further inspection of the bedroom revealed two high-powered air rifles and an air pistol in the wardrobe. Another air pistol was found in Coles’ car parked at the house.

As the search continued, police found three tents set up in the garage housing 17 mature cannabis plants with more growing equipment.

Police then made their way outside to the back section of the property, where a Ford Trader truck was parked. As they got closer, they saw a tent set up in the truck which was growing another eight cannabis plants.

Large rubbish bags in a wardrobe and bathroom were found containing cannabis head in small snaplock bags, weighing a total of 1,197 grams with a combined street value of approximately $14,778 if sold by the ounce.

And that was just one of the properties.

Further searching of Coles’ second property revealed he had dedicated three rooms to his cannabis-growing operation, equipped with specialist indoor growing tents, high-intensity discharge lamps, carbon filtration systems, water sources and timers, all set up for housing the plants at various stages.

The rooms contained a total of 34 cannabis plants, some as tall as 1.5m at various stages of harvest.

Coles had also stored the drug at his business, hidden in buckets and prepacked into snaplock bags.

The cannabis had a combined weight of 1,801 grams with a street value of approximately $22,243.

Crown Prosecutor Sean Mallet didn’t oppose home detention but said the offending was still “reasonably serious and sophisticated”.

He said the pre-sentence report wasn’t positive as whilst Coles accepted the summary of facts, he continued to maintain that the cannabis was for his own use rather than for supply, despite evidence suggesting it was for supply.

Coles’ lawyer Kerry Cook said his client’s offending showed a familiar pattern of getting in with the wrong crowd mixed with addiction issues which leads to more serious offending.

Cook said Coles has been drug-free for a significant period of time and he is sincerely sorry to the court for his offending and wishes to get on with his life. He asked the judge to consider a sentence of community detention rather than home detention.

However, Judge Mark Callaghan said he wasn’t prepared to go as low as community detention, questioning Coles’ remorse.

Antony Coles was sentenced to eight months of home detention after police found his cannabis-growing set-up. Photo / George Heard

“I don’t know if you are remorseful for your offending, but more for the situation you find yourself in because of your offending.”

Judge Callaghan said reports provided to the court showed Coles’ background and upbringing which “clearly” had a link to his cannabis use.

Coles also suffered from a back injury and used the drug to help with his pain which the judge took into account when sentencing him.

“While you clearly have been addicted to cannabis, you have managed to overcome that which needs to be recognised,” Judge Callaghan said.

He imposed an end sentence of eight months home detention with six months of post-detention conditions.

Coles is not to consume any alcohol or drugs not prescribed to him during his sentence and must complete a drug and alcohol programme.