Police have arrested a 25-year-old Auckland man after officers found more than a quarter of a million dollars worth of cannabis in his car when they pulled him over for driving without his headlights on.

During the traffic stop, in Flat Bush at 9.30pm yesterday, officers noticed a strong smell of cannabis coming from the man’s car, Detective Inspector Karen Bright said.

“Police staff invoked a search for drugs and located several large sacks of packaged cannabis in the rear of the vehicle,” Bright said.

Police found 65kg of cannabis in the car. It was split up into smaller bags. Police also found “a large quantity” of cash.

Bright said the cannabis had an estimated street value of nearly $800,000.

Auckland police found nearly $800,000 worth of cannabis, 65kg, during a traffic stop in Flat Bush on Wednesday evening. Photo / New Zealand Police

Police found 65kg of cannabis in the car. It was split up into smaller bags. Police also found 'a large quantity of' cash. Photo / New Zealand Police

The man was due to appear in the Manukau District Court today on charges of possessing cannabis for supply and failing to carry out obligations in relation to a computer search.

Bright said: “This should put a sizeable dent into the local underground cannabis market.

“Offenders in our communities are making huge profits from the illegal drug trade, and any catch on this scale should send a warning to growers that they will be held to account.”

Meanwhile, across the city in Avondale, police turned up 116 grams of cannabis and cash when officers stopped a car on the Northwestern Motorway due to how it was being driven.

Officers found the cannabis stashed in the driver’s handbag. The 24-year-old woman was due to appear in the Auckland District Court today, charged with possessing cannabis for supply, driving without a licence and failing to answer bail.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.