New Zealand abandons helicopter surveillance of cannabis fields

Every year in New Zealand, members of the military and police board their helicopters. For several days, they fly over the archipelago with binoculars. Their goal? To locate cannabis plantations, destroy them, and arrest those responsible.

This tradition had been going on since the 1970s. But the country decided to put an end to it, reports the local news site Stuff. The operation cost 700,000 New Zealand dollars (about 420,000 euros) each year. And, more importantly, it had become unnecessary. «Other drugs, particularly methamphetamine, are causing increasing harm in many communities. A large annual air show is no longer the most appropriate way to deploy our police forces.», a police spokeswoman told Stuff.

In New Zealand, cannabis for adult use remains illegal. Medical cannabis, on the other hand, has just been approved. But that's not the drug that causes the most problems. With a a growing public health problem related to «meth» on the archipelago, the association NZ Drug Foundation wanted the police to stop cracking down on cannabis plants. According to the association, law enforcement should focus on «on drugs that are far more harmful.»

Increasingly Unpopular

In recent years, these helicopter operations had become increasingly unpopular with the public. Columnist Russell Brown has put pen to paper in The Spinoff to celebrate the end of these reconnaissance flights. «There was little transparency regarding the costs of the operations (and any arrests), and even less was known about the positive outcomes. It is not unreasonable to think that these operations continued because they were budgeted for each year.»

To salvage the situation, the military and the police had started communicating nonstop, posting photos on Instagram or sharing half-truths «articles» written by communications professionals. The army noted that these operations resulted in the removal of 9,500 plants in 2019.

Despite this criticism, not all New Zealanders support cannabis. In November, 50.7% of voters said «no» in the referendum on legalization. Moreover, the decision to suspend helicopter flights is not universally supported. The National Party (center-right, in the opposition in Parliament) regrets the decision, arguing that «Given the rise in gang activity and violence, the eradication of cannabis is more important than ever.».