A CANNABIS farm believed to be worth £40,000 has been dismantled by police officers following a report of suspicious activity.

Intelligence led North Yorkshire Police officers to the grow at a property in Sixth Avenue in the city, where they executed a warrant on Thursday (March 23).

Inside the officers said they found a "highly professional and sophisticated" set up that they believe had been used by an organised crime gang to produce several crops of cannabis over time.

The house’s electricity supply had been diverted underground to by-pass the meter, presenting a high risk of fire and serious danger to the people tampering with it.

A man, believed to be acting as part of an organised crime group based in the Western Balkan region of Europe, was arrested at the scene and taken into custody. He has since been charged with cannabis production and is due to appear in court.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Simpson, of North Yorkshire Police, said: "Cannabis production is extremely harmful to our communities and its production is often used to fund criminal gangs who are involved in serious organised crime such as human trafficking, sexual exploitation and the distribution of class A drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

“It won’t be tolerated - and we urge members of our communities to report any suspicious activity in their neighbourhood. We also urge landlords to be extra cautious when they rent out properties. The damage caused to properties by grows can be extensive and very expensive to repair.”

You can pass any information to the police by calling 101 or online on the North Yorkshire Police website.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or on the website.

If you feel threatened or in danger, always call 999.