Claimed as the biggest cannabis seizure on national record, police raided a rural property at Dandry - about 35km north of Coonabarabran - and seized 19,082 cannabis plants with an estimated potential street value of nearly $66.8 million.
NSW Police described it as "one of the largest and most commercial cannabis enterprises we've seen", with significant infrastructure including two large dams, commercial generators, earthmoving equipment across multiple sites, "all of which require attention from workers seven days a week".
"About 90,000 square metres of land has been illegally cleared at this property to make way for more than 20 greenhouses containing cannabis plants at various stages of maturity," Det Supt John Watson said.
Six people - five men and one woman - were arrested and taken to Dubbo and Coonabarabran Police Stations.
All six - aged between 23 and 42 - were charged with cultivate prohibited plant (large commercial quantity cannabis), knowingly take part cultivate (large commercial quantity cannabis) and participate criminal group contribute criminal activity.
They were all refused bail to appear at Coonamble Local Court on Wednesday.
Investigators are working with the Department of Home Affairs regarding the visa status of the group.
NSW Police created Strike Force Harthouse in 2019 to investigate the cultivation and supply of cannabis across NSW.
Since its inception, strike force investigators have charged 51 people - 48 men and three women - and seized 69,654 cannabis plants, valued at more than $217 million.
The previous largest cannabis cultivation haul - part of the same investigation - was a $40 million crop on the mid-North Coast in October 2020, in 5593 cannabis plants were seized along with 39 pounds of dried cannabis, worth a combined total of $16.9 million.
