59 cannabis plants found in drug raid at Byfield Road property

Police found 59 cannabis plants, some being fed by dam irrigation, growing at a rural property in Central Queensland.

During a drug bust at a rural property at Byfield, near Yeppoon, police found 59 cannabis plants growing. Generic image.

A woman has faced court after police found 59 cannabis plants growing at a rural property near Yeppoon.

Tanya Isobel Mann, 56, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on December 15 to five drugs charges - producing, possessing and supplying cannabis, as well as possessing drug items (x 2).

Police prosecutor Stacey Bain said that on November 23, police executed a search warrant at a rural property on Byfield Road.

Ms Bain said police found 41 cannabis plants in pots near a dam on the property.

“The pots were fed by hoses and other piping from the dam,” Ms Bain said.

The court heard these 41 plants were between 60cm and 2.1m high.

Ms Bain said a further 18 cannabis plants were found at other areas of the 15-hectare property.

The prosecutor said police also found 23g of dried cannabis in Mann’s bedroom along with drug items.

Ms Bain said Mann told police she watered the cannabis plants around the dam and grew them to smoke them.

Mann also told police she did not sell the cannabis but she did give it to her son, Ms Bain said.

The court heard Mann had a one-page criminal history.

Solicitor Stephanie Nicholas said Mann received a carer’s pension and she lived at the property with her husband and their son.

Ms Nicholas said there was no commerciality to the offending.

Magistrate Cameron Press said due to the number of cannabis plants, this was “a serious matter.”

“And I don’t know what a 56-year-old woman is doing before a court, growing 41 plants,” Mr Press said.

“You can’t afford to come back with that sort of thing again because you may well find you’re in a van going to a women’s correctional centre.”

Mr Press placed Mann on 18 months’ probation with conditions.

Convictions were recorded.

Originally published as 59 cannabis plants found in drug raid at Byfield Road property