Big cannabis haul should disrupt Top End supply

POLICE have made a 10kg drug haul, the cannabis hidden in two portable coolers.

The drugs were hidden inside the fibreglass sides of the coolers being carried in a vehicle on its way to Darwin.

Superintendent Peter Gordon said police had been watching a 51-year-old man for about two weeks before stopping him at Mataranka, just south of Katherine, on Wednesday.

They tore the sides of the coolers open to reveal the cannabis, packed inside specially built-in vacuum-sealed bags.

Supt Gordon said the cannabis had a street value of about $350,000, or more than $900,000 if sold in Aboriginal communities.

The bust would cause disruption to the Top End drug trade, he said.

"We've been told in recent weeks there's been a shortage of cannabis ... and some of the dealers were waiting on supply," Supt Gordon said.

Police believed the cannabis came from SA.

He expected two or three more arrests to be made in connection to the 10kg haul.

A man is due to face Darwin Magistrates Court on September 27 on five charges including possession of a commercial quantity of cannabis.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Fri, 17 Aug 2007
Source: Northern Territory News (Australia)
Contact: ntnmail@ntn.newsltd.com.au
Website: http://www.ntnews.com.au