Police raids target gang importing cannabis from US to UK

Police officers seized £500,000 and a BMW M4 in the raids

Eight people have been arrested in an operation targeting a gang suspected of importing high strength cannabis into the UK from the US, police have said.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said officers executed 16 warrants in Manchester, Cheshire, West Yorkshire and Lancashire earlier.

The force said eight people, aged between 18 and 52, were held on suspicion of importing cannabis.

A BMW M4 car and £500,000 in cash was also seized in the raids.

Officers executed 16 warrants across the North West and in West Yorkshire

A GMP representative said police and partners from Border Force had intercepted more than 220lb (100kg) of cannabis which was suspected to be connected to the gang.

They said it was believed each of the eight people arrested had "roles within the conspiracy, ranging from orchestrating the importation, to arranging payment for the shipments, to selling the drugs to criminals across the UK".

Det Insp Claire Rawcliffe said the cannabis which had been seized was worth more than £3m and she was "grateful to Border Force and colleagues from our neighbouring forces for the support they have provided to our ongoing operation".

"We will continue to work with our partners to identify and prevent the new and innovative methods criminals take to smuggle illegal drugs into our country," she added.