Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Monday 10th March 2025, at 07:15hrs
In a recent intensification week of Operation Mille, a national operation targeting organized crime groups (OCGs) linked to cannabis cultivation, money laundering, and immigration crime, Greater Manchester Police seized over 700 cannabis plants worth an estimated street value of £500,000.
A total of nine warrants were executed across Greater Manchester, and subsequently, six cannabis farms were discovered.
Operation Mille was launched in 2023, and is a national operation directed by the Government for Police Forces across the UK to implement action to tackle the growing problem of Western Balkan organized crime groups (OCGs) across the country.
Police forces across England and Wales – working with Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCUs) and partner agencies – all took part in the intensive activity, which is designed to apprehend key players, increase intelligence across the force, and safeguard those who are being exploited by the gangs and forced to live and work on cannabis farms.
Results from the last intensification week show that there has been significant disruption to organized crime networks up and down the country.
Cannabis cultivation and serious crime is inextricably linked, with the profits funnelled into fuelling further criminality and exploitation.
Cannabis farms pose a fire hazard to residents due to potential faulty electricals; they can also pose anti-social behaviour (ASB) issues for local residents, with people coming and going from the locations at different hours of the day and night.
As result of this year’s operation across Greater Manchester alone, four people were arrested and three people have been charged and remanded.
Detective Inspector Abigail Thomas, from GMP’s Modern Slavery and Organised Immigration Crime Team, said: “Organised crime gangs distributing drugs blight our communities, causing fear and harm for residents with total disregard for others, interested solely in their own gain.
“I hope our intensive action sends a clear message to them that we are watching, and we will continue to pursue them and disrupt their criminal activity to protect our communities.
“We would like to let people know that we do take any intelligence submitted by the public seriously, and we will act on it – it plays an important role in our investigations.
“Please, let us know if you have any concerns about drug activity in your local area.”
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