Cannabis plants worth £750k seized in operation

West Mercia Police said it had seized 1,365 cannabis plants during Operation Mille

Cannabis plants with an estimated value of £750,000 have been seized by police during a three-week operation.

The West Mercia force, which said 1,365 plants were recovered during Operation Mille, stated that between February and March it shut down seven cannabis growing enterprises in Worcestershire and Shropshire.

Cannabis farming was strongly linked to serious and organised crime and the illegal funds it generated often fueled "gang violence and other criminal enterprises", police added.

The force said properties used for cultivation posed "significant fire hazards" as criminals "frequently tamper with electrical systems to bypass meters".

Det Ch Insp Joanne Woods said: "We know that organised crime groups involved in cannabis production are also linked to other serious crimes, including modern slavery and exploitation.

"This three-week operation not only disrupted significant criminal activity and removed cannabis from circulation but also provided valuable intelligence to inform future operations."