Drugs worth £10 million seized in Rotherham cannabis crackdown

THE total value of drugs seized in an ongoing crackdown on cannabis farms in Rotherham has passed £10 million, police said.

SYP said daily raids had been carried out across the town since October, as a dedicated police and local authority team targets those growing and supplying the drug while funding organised crime.

In that period, 84 cannabis growing operations have been dismantled, 10,050 plants have been seized and there have been 34 arrests.

The operation was launched by police and Rotherham council last summer in response to frequent power cuts in Ferham and Eastwood, which were thought to be, in part, caused by the amount of illegal cannabis set-ups running off bypassed electricity.

Chief Supt Steve Chapman said: “Cannabis farms can significantly impact the quality of life of local residents and businesses, with power outages being one example.

“Thanks to this operation, there has not been a power cut in the area since December 2021, so the work we are doing is clearly having an impact.

“Another priority for us as a partnership is protecting vulnerable people.

“Large-scale cannabis set-ups are often linked to organised crime, with vulnerable people exploited and forced to mind the farm on behalf of gangs. These people need our help and our protection.”

Chief Supt Chapman said there had been great feedback from residents, adding: “We’re now getting people approaching our officers, thanking them, and coming forward with intelligence about other properties or suspicious activity.

“This is exactly what we were hoping to see when we started this initiative; if we can rid the streets of drugs this will have a knock-on effect on street violence. No drugs means no gang rivalry which means a safer place to live.”

Since October, officers have worked closely with Rotherham Council to issue prohibition notices on 62 properties.

Once a raid has been executed, the owner now needs to prove to the council that the property has been made safe before the notice can be removed.

RMBC’s cabinet member for corporate services, community safety and finance, Cllr Saghir Alam, said: “The council is committed to supporting residents to live safer, healthier lives, and neighbourhoods to thrive.

“This operation is producing some fantastic results and we will continue to work with South Yorkshire Police to address concerns in communities.

“It is encouraging to see that residents are coming forward and engaging with the police and I would like to thank everyone who is supporting the operation.”