Police have arrested 260 people and recovered nearly 40 firearms in drug raids across the east of the North Island.
Operation Kristy took place over just a few weeks and involved police from Hawke's Bay, Gisborne and Bay of Plenty.
Police destroyed about 40,000 cannabis plants and are claiming a major victory over cannabis growing operations from Coromandel Peninsula to central Hawke's Bay.
They also seized five vehicles, several large quantities of cash and discovered a methamphetamine lab.
The officer in charge of the operation, Detective Senior Sergeant Tim Anderson, says the raids again highlight the large-scale business cannabis cultivation provides for organised crime.
The operation included staff from the Ministry of Fisheries, Customs and the Inland Revenue Department.