More than 1000 cannabis plants have now been uncovered in South Australia’s southeast as part of a major operation to combat drug trafficking.

On Monday, detectives from the Serious and Organised Crime Branch arrested and charged five men over cultivating a large commercial quantity of cannabis after 486 mature cannabis plants were located in dense scrub near Coonalypn.

On Friday, police said they had now found another 854 mature plants in the same area with investigations continuing into the second seizure.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Jon Halliday said the two finds showed offenders could not use remote locations to conceal their crimes.