Cannabis farms disrupt Doncaster's electricity supplies

Police discovered more than 2,100 plants worth £2.2m in a former Doncaster bingo hall last May

Drugs gangs have caused a series of power cuts in parts of Doncaster from the number of cannabis farms in operation, police say.

South Yorkshire Police said electricity supplies had been disrupted in the Hexthorpe and Balby areas by the "sophisticated enterprises".

The force said more than 2,400 plants, 18kg of cannabis and £136,000 in cash have been seized in the last year.

In May 2021 plants worth £2.2m were found in former bingo hall.

Deputy Chief Constable Tim Forber said: "In keeping with most large conurbations nationally, Doncaster experiences drug related issues.

"Much of this can be linked to Organised Crime Groups, who are involved in the supply of Class A and B controlled drugs across Doncaster, and in the production of cannabis."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the force said that between February and April this year 80 offences relating to the supply of controlled drugs were recorded in the city.

Mr Forber said the gangs involved in growing cannabis were involved in a "sophisticated enterprise, so much so that the supply of electricity in Hexthorpe and Balby has at times been interrupted due to the number of cannabis crops in those areas".

He added that tackling the production and supply of controlled drugs spans all policing the district's teams, however the focus of efforts to disrupt sits predominantly with Operation Fortify and the city's three Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs).

"The NPTs also play a vital role in educational inputs within schools, intelligence development, reassurance patrols and the publication of the positive results outlined into the community through various mediums such as SYP Alerts, Facebook, Twitter, newsletters and at community engagement meetings," said Mr Forber.