Cannabis with a street value of £8.7m seized

Thousands of cannabis plants with an estimated value of more than £8.7m have been seized in a week-long operation across Yorkshire and the Humber.

The region's four police forces located 35 active cannabis grows containing 8,716 plants.

The action was part of national scheme Operation Mille and was coordinated by the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU).

It said officers executed 58 warrants and seized cocaine, five machetes, gas canisters and an axe along with the cannabis plants and 29 people were arrested.

Det Supt Fiona Gaffney, who led the operation, said: "By focusing on this source of income for organised crime groups, we have significantly disrupted their activities and the wider distribution of cannabis within our communities.

"These people routinely use serious violence and the threat of it to protect their trade [and] exploit young and vulnerable people for their own profit."

In West Yorkshire, the operation saw plants thought to be worth more than £1.6m seized along with a BMW and £3,000 in cash from an address in Leeds.

"Organised crime groups are often connected to violence, exploitation, and anti-social behaviour which causes untold misery in our communities," said Det Supt Steve Greenbank.

He added that buildings used as cannabis grows can become dangerous due to fire risks, theft of electricity and water damage.

"Sharing information with the police at an early stage allows us to work closely together to tackle cannabis farms before they cause serious damage.

"We are committed to dismantling these operations and protecting our communities from the harm they cause."

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