Eight people charged as 'intricate and painstaking' dawn raids across Hampshire unearth multiple cannabis farms
Eight people have been charged after county-wide dawn raids uncovered six cannabis farms
Dawn raids across the county have unearthed six illegal cannabis farms, thousands of pounds in cash and an imitation firearm.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight officers have seized more than £588,000 worth of cannabis plants following a month-long operation, which also uncovered cannabis grow sites in Farnborough, Aldershot, and Southampton.
As a result, offficers also seized an imitation firearm, over ten thousand pounds of cash seized, ten mobile phones, thousands of cannabis plants and processed cannabis ready for street supply. Car wash sites were also visited as part of the operation to crackdown on illegal immigration, modern slavery, and human trafficking offences.
Specialist officers carried out a valuation of one harvest, estimating the illegal grows to be worth more than £234,000. The police arrested ten people in total and have since charged eight, while two men were safeguarded as suspected victims of human trafficking.
Detective Inspector Christian Reid Milligan who led the coordinated operation said: “These latest successes are a result of intricate and painstaking work by numerous teams across the force, and I would like to thank them for their efforts which have paid off immensely.
“Executing warrants linked to cannabis cultivation is something our officers carry out regularly as part of our work to protect communities and target organised crime. By targeting cannabis cultivation, we’re cutting the issue off at the source. Without activity like this, these plants would be harvested, processed and disseminated in our community fuelling criminality, anti-social behaviour and the appalling violence we see when drug gangs feud over territory.”
Activity took place between March and early April as the police force participated in Operation Mille - a national operation targeting criminal networks involved in cannabis cultivation and money laundering.
Raids were executed following intelligence from the local community, with one property being highlighted after engineers attended the site to carry out routine work and noted a strong smell of cannabis.
DI Milligan added: “Cannabis farms are not victimless. They are often linked to other criminality, including serious violence, anti-social behaviour and the exploitation of vulnerable people, who are frequently forced to live and work in unsafe and inhumane conditions.
“These properties are also at significant risk of fire due to illegal electricity bypasses and other dangerous modifications. That risk can extend to neighbouring homes, putting innocent members of the public in serious danger.
“In addition to the work of our officers, it’s the information received from members of the public that informs our activity. I would like to encourage the community to continue to tell us what you know and raise the alarm when things don’t seem right. With your support we’re ridding our community of illegal drugs and apprehending those fuelling it.”
Alternatively, you can report information to Crimestoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111.