A CRIME Stoppers tip off led to the discovery of a sophisticated hydroponics set up at Bulahdelah earlier this year.
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Darren John Morris, 45, of Crawford Street Bulahdelah was fined $1500 and ordered to be of good behaviour for five years at Forster Local Court on April 9 after the discovery of the set-up on February 27.
He was also fined $800 for having an unauthorised firearm, a single shot .30 calibre, lever action rifle, in his possession.
Police searched the Bulahdelah home after information was gathered by Crime Stoppers about a possible hydroponic set up.
The court heard Morris led officers to a storage area behind the garage which had been elaborately set up for growing cannabis, complete with an indoor growing tent, fully ducted ventilation system, automated watering, temperature controls and an evaporative cooler.
A notebook handed over to police showed Morris had been keeping detailed daily records of pH levels, water temperature and humidity and he told officers he had spent more than $1500 setting up the system.
The value of the drugs in the set-up was estimated at $8000. The drugs were confiscated.
There were also 35 grams of dry leaf and an old-style rifle handed over to police, along with 21 cannabis seeds.