Stunned Christchurch neighbour watches police raid next door

Police search a property on Bronwyn Street, Mairehau. Photo / Supplied

A neighbour of a Christchurch property that was raided in a drugs bust today said he had "no idea" cannabis was being grown next door.

The police confirmed they had raided five houses so far to uncover cannabis operations as part of a large-scale probe in Christchurch.

The campaign against organised crime included search warrants on at least one house on Kellys Road in Mairehau, at about 11.30am.

Detective Senior Sergeant Joel Syme said large amounts of cash and other assets had been seized, and several big cannabis cultivations had been found.

He said a series of search warrants were being carried out across the city in a clampdown on organised crime.

The public could expect to see a police presence for the rest of the day as the operation continued, he said.

A neighbour to one of the properties searched said he noticed multiple police vehicles on his street about 8am, which he said was "unusual" for the area.

He had no idea what was going on until the police started pulling out of the house what looked like cannabis growing equipment, including air vents and a large number of fertiliser containers

He had no idea that a drug operation was going on across the road.
"Honestly, I had no idea," he said.

"During the lockdown, if I saw my neighbour, I would wave and say hi...you just have no idea what is happening across the road."

The cannabis raids came as New Zealanders are asked to vote whether they support the legalisation of recreational cannabis.

The proposed bill would restrict the supply of cannabis, including how much a person could buy, how old they had to be, where they could buy it from, how much they could grow themselves