Organised crime: 127 arrested and cannabis worth £5.3m seized in massive Yorkshire and the Humber operation

127 people have been arrested and £5.3million worth of cannabis has been seized in a major operation against Yorkshire's organised crime gangs.

The Yorkshire and the Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU) carried out Operation Mille through June, with the nationally-coordinated campaign seizing over 19,500 cannabis plants and 26kilos of cropped cannabis, as well as weapons, cash and other drugs.

Detective Superintendent Fiona Gaffney, Deputy Head of the YHROCU, led the response in Yorkshire and the Humber. She said: “We targeted these criminal networks who were involved in drug dealing, immigration crime and money laundering as part of a coordinated approach to disrupting their activities and bringing them to justice.

"Working with police in all four Yorkshire and Humber forces, as well as our partner agencies, we were able to tackle the large-scale cultivation of cannabis which is a key source of illicit income for organised gangs."

It is hoped the YHROCU operation will bring security to the county's communities. It is said the campaign was designed to disrupt organised crime groups by "taking out a key source of their revenue" and "simultaneously apprehending many of those involved, safeguarding those being exploited, and increasing intelligence around how the networks operate".

DS Gaffney added: "There’s a clear link between serious crime and those involved in cannabis cultivation. The drugs trade fuels gang violence as groups compete for territory. They hunt out the opposition and cause misery in our communities.”

On top of the arrests and the seized cannabis, estimated to be worth £5,351,090, police also seized 90 mobile phones, two laptops and multiple other forms of electronic devices, including CCTV cameras and USBs.

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