Drugs seized in Sheffield by team to tackle armed gangsters

Ch Supt Una Jennings said a specialist team had been formed to deal with armed crime in Sheffield

Millions of pounds' worth of drugs and vehicles have been seized from organised drugs gangs in Sheffield, a police chief has been told.

A report by one of South Yorkshire's most senior officers tells the county's crime commissioner of increasing drug gang violence and use of firearms.

Sheffield District Commander Una Jennings told Alan Billings a dedicated Armed Crime Team had now been formed.

Ch Supt Jennings said "Albanian gangs" had grown large amounts of cannabis.

She said in the document: "In response to the series of [firearms] discharges across Sheffield, the force have made the decision to invest in a dedicated Armed Crime Team to respond to the threat posed by gun crime.

"The key driver for this operational response is an increase in discharges driven by the activity of organised crime gangs involved in the supply of controlled drugs."

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In one week the Armed Crime Team uncovered large amounts of drugs including 3,239 cannabis plants with an estimated street value of £2.9m and more than 30kg of dried cannabis.

The team made 98 arrests, recovered three guns and £63,000 in cash.

Ms Jennings added that in three months to the end of June, 60 crime gang members had been arrested.

In one phase of the operation 120 vehicles were recovered.

South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Dr Alan Billings' office has been contacted for a comment.

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