Arrests Follow Cannabis Farm Raids

Sixteen people have been arrested following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) into the sale of equipment for the wholesale production of cannabis.

Yesterday morning, officers arrested 14 men and two women, aged between 16 and 55 years old, in a series of searches across south-east London, Kent and Leicestershire.

They were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cultivate cannabis and taken to a number of central London police stations, where they currently remain in custody for questioning.

Working closely with Kent and Leicestershire Constabularies, more than 200 officers were involved in yesterday's raids.

Among the 26 premises searched were four commercial warehouses located in south-east London and Kent. As part of yesterday morning's raids, officers have uncovered two cannabis factories and multiple pieces of equipment used in the wholesale production of cannabis.

Operation Opaque intends to smash the illicit supply of cannabis cultivation equipment in London and across the UK. The investigation has been led by the Middle Market Drugs Partnership - which consists of MPS, City of London and SOCA officers - and the MPS Money Laundering Team, supported by Kent and Leicestershire Constabularies.

As part of the operation, a total of 30 cannabis factories have been raided by police across the country over the last 18 months, and equipment found in those raids is believed to be linked to the company that was the focus of yesterday morning's operation.

Speaking after the searches, Commander Allan Gibson from the Metropolitan Police Service, and national lead on the commercial cultivation of cannabis, said: "We believe that today's activity has disrupted a highly organised criminal network.

"The national cannabis problem profile released by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) in August this year highlighted the growing level of cannabis farms uncovered by police across the UK. That report identified that behind these factories often lies highly organised criminal networks, and today's operation is a great example of our determination to tackle them."

(BMcN)