At a scale and pace not seen before, Police across England and Wales have coordinated 1,000 search warrants against Organised Crime Groups (OCGs), with 16 warrants executed across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight leading to 8 arrests and more than 4,300 cannabis plants being seized.
Throughout June, Police located and searched large-scale cannabis grows in the most significant national operation of its kind, aimed at unearthing and disrupting OCGs and their illegal revenue streams.
In the Hampshire, Thames Valley, Surrey and Sussex regions, SEROCU coordinated this operation, with officers from each of the forces carrying out warrants, making arrests and disrupting those who wish to carry out this type of crime.
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has reported that of the 16 warrants carried out, drugs worth an estimated street value of £1.7million were seized including some 4,320 cannabis plants. A total of 8 people have been arrested in connection with these finds.
Detective Chief Superintendent Tim Rowlandson, Head of Intelligence, Tasking and Development for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, has said:
“Over the last month we have been continuing our relentless pursuit of criminals by targeting sophisticated and organised crime groups running cannabis factories within Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. In one factory alone this week, we uncovered over £400,000 worth of drugs. That’s money, which would otherwise have been used to fund further crime across the two counties.
“The operation has involved officers across all parts of the force. Local officers have been key to identifying potential sites – and engaging with communities afterwards to provide reassurance and gather evidence; Investigation teams have been taking the evidence gathered to pursue prosecutions and uncover more offenders; and yet others have supported with specialist skills. This was a whole force effort, which will massively disrupt the ability of these criminals to operate – and will play a significant role in keeping Hampshire and the Isle of Wight safe.”
National results from Operation Mille include:
- 1,013 warrants and searches
- 182,422 plants seized, worth an estimated £115-£130 million
- 967 arrested for offences including cannabis cultivation, money laundering and weapons offences
- 20 firearms seized
- £636,000 in cash seized
- 26 kilogrammes of cocaine seized, with a potential street value of £1 million
Anyone with information about a potential cannabis factory or drug dealing can contact their local force online or via 101. People can also contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or crimestoppers-uk.org.
Does that total include the one on the yacht that crashed into Ryde pier?
The ANSWER would be to make it legal to buy BUT illegal to use it.
That way criminals and social housing tenants would not make thousands growing it in tents in lofts of rent subsidised homes
As HMG shops could sell it and get the revenue and Buyers of it could not flaunt the use of it and would have to remain illegal and secretive IF taking it
That way it STILL sends out msg it is wrong but cuts crime and gives funding to Gov to pay for helping the addicts
And that’s not even made a dent in the supply!
No one is interested in Hampshire as it’s totally irrelevant – how much of this was on the Isle of Wight?
Missed out on a massive grow on artic road Cowes
Your grow was better
Best bit of bud on the island is in east Cowes nice and sticky weed there every time
Ryde is the place to be to get nice green
Smoke weed every day
Massive grow in sandown the weed was pokey loved it
Come over fairlee Road smell it all over
Your all a bunch of potheads
Nice bud in freshwater atm
Should hurry up n legalise it so they can make millions instead of wasting millions
Legalise it? So many knumb nuts are smoking this shit already and driving having smoked it, what would happen if it were legal?
Totally stupid opinion you have.
I forgot u love the white powder sunshiney
Legalise it and take the tax, get rid of the rid of the criminals making tax free money while taking benefits paid for by tax payers. And legalise the right to choose when to die, again saving a senseless waste of money rooted in old fashioned ignorance. No brainers.
All that will do is tripple the price of a spliff… will they never learn the only way to sort this is legalise is like it is in the USA Canada and other places round the world…
Even Scotland is considering it.
The UK Government has refused it
Oh yeah, that’ll improve their lot no end!
Even chronic pain relief via medical cannabis is impossible to obtain.It wasn’t designed by the creator as a ‘high’.If anything it’s more of a ‘low’ but the follow on days reveal effacacious results both physical and psychological.
Understandable given our hard-wired cannabinoidal receptors within,due to centuries of ancestral farming practicies of feeding hemp to livestock.It’s a part of us genetically but not for moronic stoner recreation purposes,just purely medicinal be it vaped or mixed into foodstuffs.
Demand out weighs supply. So many pot heads around now. This is why there is so many ‘mental health’ issues nowadays. This strong stuff boggles and screws up your brain then the idiots who smoke it then get behind the wheel of a car and drive! So wrong.
It’s bad enough with a old fart on the road with his pecker out
If it was legalise regulated and taxed then it wouldn’t be the fuel that funds organised crime. Smokers wouldn’t be exposed to violent criminals and a lot gang culture would fall appart. Its a winning situation that is working in a lot of other countries.
Right. Good. Next, can you target the child abusers? I’m sick to death of hearing (after the fact) of babies/small children with multiple broken bones etc.