Rotherham: Police seize £11m of cannabis plants in 10 months

South Yorkshire Police raided a property in Effingham Street as part of Operation Grow which aims to tackle cannabis farms

Cannabis plants with a street value of at least £11m have been seized in Rotherham over the past 10 months.

South Yorkshire Police said it had launched Operation Grow to tackle cannabis farms due to the frequent power cuts believed to be caused by the illegal set-ups.

Nearly 100 warrants had been executed and 11,053 plants had been recovered.

The latest raid led to Sokol Shabani, 31, being jailed for 18 months for growing more than 300 cannabis plants.

Sokol Shabani, 31, has been jailed for 18 months for producing a controlled class B drug

Shabani was arrested after police executed a warrant at a former jewellers in Effingham Street in Rotherham.

A police spokesperson said officers entered the property on 8 June and discovered more than 300 cannabis plants in six large rooms.

Shabani, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on 29 July.

Judge Recorder Richard Woolfall ordered the destruction of the drugs and that £250 taken from Shabani when he was arrested be put towards police operations.

Temporary Sgt Matt Smith, from South Yorkshire Police, said: "Cannabis farms can significantly impact the quality of life of local residents and businesses, as well as often being linked to organised crime and the exploitation of vulnerable people who are forced to mind the farms on behalf of gangs."