Police seized more than 12,000 cannabis plants and nearly a third of a tonne of herbal cannabis in Staffordshire last year.

Staffordshire Police carried out 1,777 seizures involving the class B drug in 2022/23, equating to nearly five a day and around 100 more than in the previous year.

The 12,215 cannabis plants seized was largely in line with previous years, and around half the 24,578 secured in 2021/22. But the 329kg of herbal cannabis was by far the highest amount ever seized by Staffordshire Police since figures were first published by the Home Office in 2010.

It was also the fifth highest amount seized by a police force in England, with only Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and the Metropolitan Police seeing greater hauls.

Herbal cannabis, also referred to as marijuana, consists of dried cannabis leaves and flowers, and is the most widely consumed form of the drug. Up until last year, the highest amount ever seized in Staffordshire was the 187kg haul recorded in 2017/18.

Until last year, the highest amount of cannabis seized in year in Staffordshire was 187kg in 2017/18 (Staffordshire Police).

A record amount of herbal cannabis was also seized across England, with the total amount almost doubling to 69.3 tonnes. The Border Force accounted for most of this, but the year also saw the greatest amount seized by police forces since 1994.

Cannabis was seized in nearly two-thirds of all drugs seizures in Staffordshire last year – far more than any other illicit substance. In Stoke-on-Trent there has been growing concern in recent years over cannabis grows in derelict and disused buildings, such as the previously council-owned Portland House in Burslem in 2022.

Chief Inspector Scott McGrath, of the Stoke North local policing team, said that both cannabis farming within the county and the importation of herbal cannabis were growing issues in Staffordshire. He said: "We are continuing to be proactive in targeting those involved in drug cultivation across Staffordshire as part of our Operation Levidrome commitment.

"Since launching the operation in early 2021, around 350 cannabis grows have been discovered and dismantled across the county. We're continuing to work with Border Force colleagues and have seized a significant amount of imported herbal cannabis as part of our enforcement activity.

"Large-scale cannabis farming is becoming increasingly commonplace and we have sustained efforts to clamp down on this activity; we want to make it very clear this is not welcome in Staffordshire.

The figures are also the fifth highest in England (Staffordshire Police).

"It's vitally important the public understand that cannabis farming is often linked to sophisticated criminal networks where there are high levels of serious and dangerous criminality.

"Both the public and our partners play an important role in providing intelligence around cannabis cultivation and we continue to appeal for information from landlords, letting agents and the wider public to report any suspicious activity."

Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Ben Adams welcomed the force's 'proactice' approach to cannabis. He said: "I welcome Staffordshire Police's proactive approach through Operation Levidrome to tackling the organised criminality involved in cannabis cultivation, and making Staffordshire a hostile place for those who seek to profit by it.

"There is no such thing as victimless drug use. Organised cannabis cultivation harms our communities through related crimes including modern slavery and human trafficking, and these commercial cannabis grows bring additional risks, such as fire and fumes, which impact on neighbouring properties."

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