Pontefract: Cannabis worth £2.6m seized in raid

Police have seized cannabis worth more than £2.6m following a raid on a warehouse in Pontefract.

West Yorkshire Police said the raid on Walkergate on Tuesday followed information from the community.

Officers found nearly 1,000 live plants and multiple drying rooms containing more than 200kg of cropped cannabis.

Two men, aged 23 and 25, have been arrested on suspicion of production of a Class B drug, abstracting electricity and entering the UK without leave.

Temp Supt Phil Jackson said their initial estimate was that the warehouse building contained £2,628,771 worth of drugs.

West Yorkshire Police said it was largest single seizure of drugs since the Wakefield District Neighbourhood Impact Team was created in October 2021.

The team was initiated through funding from Project Adder to target drugs supply chains and related criminality while also helping those with drug addiction.

Mr Jackson said: "I hope this action shows that we will act on community intelligence and respond quickly to protect our communities from the harm that illegal drugs cause.

"Ultimately, the drugs that we have seized today will now not make it on to the streets of Pontefract or elsewhere."

The arrested men remained in custody, police added.

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