POLICE have launched a joint investigation to weed out the owner of a big cannabis stash found by the side of a Sydney road.
One theory is that the luggage bag stuffed full of 11 kilograms of cannabis leaf may have been dumped by dozy dealers on Holden Street, Ashbury on Thursday evening as part of a dead-drop style deal.
Forgetfulness is another avenue of inquiry - the bag could have been simply left by mistake.
Whoever did leave it certainly made a real hash of things because a local resident spied the bag on a median strip on her way to the shops, opened it up and reported it to police - sparking up an investigation.
Inside the green plastic luggage bag were four smaller bags of cannabis leaf worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Inspector Melanie Chidgey doesn't think the owner will come forward because they'd face prosecution.
But local police and drugs squad detectives hope someone who saw the bag being dumped may come forward in a bid to smoke out the culprit.
"It's very unusual. I haven't heard of anything like it ever happening before," Insp Chidgey told reporters.
"That's why we'd really like someone to come forward if they saw someone dumping it by the side of the road or a car that left the location."
She said local drugs gangs are being eyed as possible culprits.
Insp Chidgey agreed it was lucky that children or animals didn't open up the bag, and that it was discovered by an adult.
The bag is being examined for fingerprints or traces of DNA in a bid to catch the owners.
Ooh-ah. Heads are going to roll in the underworld over this...they'll be used as bowling balls! I'm expecting to hear news of yet more shootings, bashings and stabbings.
"a real hash of things"
"a bid to smoke out the culprit."
Those reporters like to have their little jokes, don't they? 
