Man arrested in cannabis farm bust

The operation was mounted as a result of information passed to officers from within the Whiston community and is the latest in a series of high-profile successes against the illicit cannabis industry.

Information led officers to a property on Cow Rakes Lane in Whiston, where they found four rooms had been set up with sophisticated grown equipment for cannabis.

They recovered 128 plants, with each having a value estimated at £1,000.

The plants will now be destroyed.

A 23-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of production of cannabis.

Rotherham Central NPT Inspector John Crapper said:

“This warrant is part of Operation Grow which is the ongoing work to tackle cannabis grows in Rotherham.

“This warrant was a result of information shared by you – our local communities. If you think something isn’t right and a property or person is involved in criminal activity, please report it to us.

“These reports help us paint a better intelligence picture which aids our commitment to tackle organised criminality – which is often linked to cannabis cultivations.

“Remember to look out for the signs that a property is potentially being used for illegal activity.”

Last year, officers netted drugs with a total value estimated at £17.5m as a result of raids mounted under Operation Grown.

Through the year, 70 warrants were executed across the borough, with 17,846 plants seized.

More than 40 people were also arrested, but dismantling the ‘farms’ causes serious disruption for criminals by denying the cash needed to continue their trade.