Recent rain will be a boost to cannabis growers in Northland following a hot summer spell and police are urging the public to report any suspicious behaviour over the next few weeks as crops start to mature.
Head of Northland Police Organised Crime Squad Detective Sergeant Shane Pilmer said cannabis growers would be thankful for the water on their illegal crops but there would still be plenty of action around plots across the region.
He urged the public not to turn a blind eye as cannabis growing and its consumption had a harmful effect on everyone in the community, from the damage to young people through to associated crimes.
Mr Pilmer said with the recent rain there was no reason why it would not be a bumper growing season and already last November police had discovered a plot of 350, 1m-high cannabis plants in a Far North forestry block.
Northland regularly tops the country for the most cannabis plants destroyed during the annual police blitz on the drug.