POLICE DESTROY 12,000 CANNABIS PLANTS IN ANNUAL OPERATION

Thousands of cannabis plants, with an estimated street value of $22 million, have been destroyed by police as part of an annual drug operation.

The Cannabis Eradication Program ran from late Spring to early Autumn, with police conducting targeted aerial and ground surveillance to detect illegal crops in the New England, Richmond, Coffs Clarence and Tweed Byron Local Area Commands.

A total of 4860 plants have been found in the New England, compared with about 2500 in Richmond and Coffs/Clarence and 1469 in Tweed/Byron.

Most of the crops were located in dense bushland, with plants reaching up to four metres in height.

Police say a number of people will face court over drug charges.