| We have made 25 arrests and seized cannabis plants worth more than £2 million in a month-long national operation combatting the criminal networks behind organised cannabis cultivation.
Throughout June, police forces across England and Wales supported Operation Mille and executed over 1,000 warrants against organised crime at a scale and pace never seen before.
In Bedfordshire, officers carried out 16 search warrants, resulting in 25 people arrested and 4,397 cannabis plants seized.
In addition, £125,000 in cash, half a kilogramme of cocaine, two combat-style knives and one imitation firearm was also seized, as well as two luxury cars.
The operation aimed to disrupt organised crime group (OCG) activity by targeting mass cannabis production, a key source of their illicit income.
The link between serious organised crime and those involved in cannabis cultivation is clear, with the drugs trade fuelling gang violence as groups compete for territory and drive out their opposition.
Earlier this year, three men were jailed for more than 26 years after an attempted burglary at a cannabis factory triggered a violent clash.
Tackling organised crime is everyone’s business.
There are some key signs to spot that a cannabis factory might be operating in your neighbourhood:
· Frequent visitors to a property at unsocial hours throughout the day and night
· Blacked out windows or condensation on the windows, even when it is not cold outside
· Bright lights in rooms throughout the night
· Electricity meters being tampered with/altered and new cabling, sometimes leading to street lighting. High electricity bills could also be an indicator
· A powerful, distinctive, sweet, sickly aroma and noise from fans
· Lots of work or deliveries of equipment to an address, particularly those associated with growing plants indoors without soil such as heaters and lighting
· An excessive amount of plant pots, chemicals, fertilisers, and compost |