Police have put a significant dent in cannabis operations after a sting in Hawke's Bay, Gisborne and East Cape

More than 10,000 cannabis plants have been seized and 47 people charged with a variety of counts including cultivating and possession of cannabis and the unlawful possession of firearms.

Detective Senior Sergeant Sean Hansen says the number of plants seized is down on similar operations in past years but the number of plants seized is significant in the fight against the drug.

The plots were identified from the air and the plants were removed by hand or sprayed with a chemical.