Three cannabis farms raided daily

12 April 2012

The number of cannabis farms being uncovered by police has trebled over the last two years, according to a report.

Drug information charity DrugScope said an average of three dope farms have been raided each day in the last six months.

And in the last two years, 1,500 were discovered in London alone, compared with around 500 in the previous two years.

The charity's Druglink magazine said more than 60% of cannabis sold in the UK was grown here compared with only 11% just 10 years ago.

An average of 400 plants are recovered in a police raid as officers continue a crackdown on farms based in residential and commercial properties.

The charity said analysis of nationwide police raids revealed around up to three quarters of cannabis farms were run by Vietnamese criminal gangs.

In the last year Vietnamese-run cannabis farms have been found in London, south Wales, Birmingham, East Anglia, Yorkshire and the North East, it added.

DrugScope's Harry Shapiro said: "There are significant implications for police resources in trying to keep up with the growers who are becoming increasingly smart in establishing new farms and avoiding arrest."

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