Masterton dope crop sniffed out

BUSTED: Detective Raewyn Smellie with some of the mature cannabis plants seized by police. PHOTOS/LYNDA FERINGA

Passing officer smelled out marijuana

The distinctive smell of cannabis has betrayed a substantial indoor dope-growing operation, with police finding thousands of dollars worth of drugs in a raid yesterday.

Six large, well-established cannabis plants and 10 ounces of dried cannabis valued at over $3000 were discovered inside a house near the Masterton CBD on Friday, after a passing police officer recognised the smell and identified the house it was coming from.

Detective Senior Sergeant Bysouth said the amount of cannabis being grown at the house was sufficient for it to be a commercial operation.

The growing room was a "well maintained" set up, with filters, extractors into the roof space, fertilisers, irrigation and transformers, Mr Bysouth said.

He said a passing police officer had noticed the smell coming from the house, which was searched by a team of police yesterday.

With operations like this, the strong smell of cannabis could be an occupational hazard for dope growers, he said.

"Cannabis has a very distinctive smell. This house and its surroundings smelt very strongly of cannabis and when we arrived we had no doubt that cannabis was being grown inside."

It was possible young children were living at the house and police were investigating this, Mr Bysouth said.

"Under no circumstances should our children be exposedto the cultivation or the consumption of illicit drugs in the homes where they sleep.

"These types of environments are toxic for children and have the potential to causelong term harm, particularly if the children are young. We and our partner agencies will not tolerate any situations where children are at risk and will work hard to prevent further harm wherever we can."

The bust was also a reminder that the outdoor cannabis growing season had begun, he said.

"With the frosts finished growers will now start to plant their cannabis not only in rural areas but in urban back gardens too."

Police could not prevent the social harm caused by drugs without the public's help, Mr Bysouth said.

"We ask that if you have any information which will lead to the identification of those persons growing or pushing illicit drugs of any form, that you contact us."