MORE than £2million worth of cannabis has been seized and 29 people have been arrested as part of a major police operation.

Humberside Police say 25 of those arrested have been subsequently charged and remanded after officers seized an estimated £2,160,200 worth of cannabis across the force area as a part of a national operation involving all 43 police forces to dismantle cannabis farms operated by organised crime groups across the country.  
 

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Since Thursday June 1, as a part of the co-ordinated response, officers executed warrants at 28 properties in a number of locations across the force area including in Carlile Street, Goole and Stamford Bridge just outside York in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

Whilst searching the properties during the month-long intensification period, officers recovered 4,321 cannabis plants of varying yield, weapons including a friction lock baton, handmade spear and an air rifle. Electricity had also been obtained illegally at 21 of the premises across the force area.

Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Gawthorpe said: “This has been a vast operation, taking months in the planning and gathering of intelligence and information.

“Tackling drug crimes within the Humberside force area is a priority for us as it has a big impact on local communities, anti-social and disruptive behaviour often follows drug use and dealing.

“The community impact this type of offending has is the reason we will continue to do everything we can to disrupt these criminal networks, removing them, and the drugs they supply and distribute, from our streets.

“Importantly the operation also opened windows of opportunity for us together with the wider Community Safety Partnership to identify and safeguard vulnerable members of the community targeted by these gangs.”

Across the Yorkshire region, with assistance from the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YH ROCU) more than £5.3 million of cannabis has been seized as a result of the 141 search warrants.

Detective Superintendent Fiona Gaffney, deputy head of the YH ROCU, led the response in Yorkshire and the Humber. She said: “We targeted these criminal networks who were involved in drug dealing, immigration crime and money laundering as part of a coordinated approach to disrupting their activities and bringing them to justice.

“Working with police in all four Yorkshire and Humber forces, as well as our partner agencies, we were able to tackle the large-scale cultivation of cannabis which is a key source of illicit income for organised gangs.

“There’s a clear link between serious crime and those involved in cannabis cultivation. The drugs trade fuels gang violence as groups compete for territory. They hunt out the opposition and cause misery in our communities.

"We would always encourage you to report any offences to us so we can build the bigger picture and take action."

Members of the public can provide information to the charity Crimestoppers completely anonymously on 0800 555111, or on their website www.crimestoppers.org.uk