SIX people - including two Thurnscoe villains - have been jailed after police broke up a nationally active crime gang with cannabis factories in the Dearne Valley.

Officers launched an investigation into the gang’s activities in April last year, taking action between May and September.

That involved stopping some vehicles on the road, but also executing warrants at a series of properties.

While some of those were as far away as Cambridgeshire, two cannabis factories were discovered in Dearne communities.

One was found at Edna Street, Bolton-upon-Dearne, described by the South Yorkshire force as “a well-hidden sophisticated cannabis grow”, with 1,000 plants being cultivated.

Police usually estimate each cannabis plant has a £1,000 street value.

More than 1,000 plants were also discovered during a raid at a property at Kingsway, in Thurnscoe, again described by police as being carefully hidden and sophisticated in its nature.

A day of action was subsequently organised, leading to a string of arrests, which eventually led to five men - from Barnsley and Doncaster - along with another from Leeds being sentenced to prison.

Well hidden: One cannabis farm was concealed at Edna Street

placeholder image — Well hidden: One cannabis farm was concealed at Edna Street

All six pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply a Class B drug and conspiracy to produce a Class B drug.

Redas Klusas, aged 57, of Kingsway, Thurnscoe was sent to prison for three years and four months.

Edgaras Cetyrkovskis, aged 31, of Southfield Crescent, Thurnsoce, was locked up for two years and one month.

Darius Matkas, aged 41, of Kentmere Drive, Lakeside, Doncaster, was jailed for four years and three months.

Deividas Vilcinskas, aged 24, and Deimantas Plytninkas, aged 28, both of Kentmere Drive, were each jailed for two years and one month.

Leeds man Anthony Morales, aged 38, of Ingram Row, was sentence to five years and one month custody.

Det Chief Supt Nicola Shimwell said: "Through this investigation a criminal enterprise responsible for the illegal supply of drugs on a national scale has been dismantled.

"We know that cannabis cultivations are often linked to organised crime and the exploitation of vulnerable people.

“Targeting large-scale operations like this is vital in our work against organised criminality within our local communities.

"This result was the culmination of a number of intelligence-led search warrants and vehicle stops. We have dedicated teams working diligently everyday gathering intelligence on the supply of drugs in South Yorkshire.”