In Britain, more than 11,000 officers have started a war on narcotics that has resulted in the destruction of hundreds of cannabis fields.
Police have promised to put an end to a chain reaction of crime caused by “low-level” offenders.
Every police department in England, Wales, and Scotland participated in Operation Mille, the largest of its type, which resulted in the seizure of 200,000 cannabis plants as well as 15 to 20 firearms and more than 40 other offensive weapons.
Across June, more than 1,000 cannabis farms were raided by police across Britain, with plants worth £130 million seized and some 1,000 suspects arrested.
Operation Mille targeted what law enforcement believe is a cash cow for organised crime gangs who are also involved in other offences such as money laundering, Class A drug smuggling, and violence.
Steve Jupp, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for serious and organised crime, said: ‘We know that organised networks involved in cannabis production are also directly linked to an array of other serious criminality such as Class A drug importation, modern slavery and wider violence and exploitation.
‘This operation not only successfully disrupted a significant amount of criminal activity, but the intelligence gathered will also help inform future law enforcement across the country.
‘Cannabis-related crime is often thought to be ‘low level’; however, there are clear patterns around the exploitation and violence organised crime groups are using to protect their enterprises.
‘We also frequently find that cannabis production is just one aspect of their criminal operations and that they are complicit in wider offending which blights our communities.’
Around 11,000 officers were involved in the crackdown, during which £650,000 in cash was also seized.
Large-scale industrial units are used for cannabis farms but also empty residential homes.
Police say the buildings can become dangerous as a result of fire risks, unlawful abstraction of electricity, fumes and water damage.
A major concern for cops up and down the country is the county lines system which exploits young people and, like cannabis dealing, is carried out in the shadow of even bigger criminal operations.
Teenagers are being offered phones, vapes and clothes to take up ‘business opportunities’ promoted on social media, it has previously been reported.
County lines networks often exploit vulnerable teens to take drugs from cities to rural customers via train.
The pandemic exacerbated the problem as children spent more time online, and county lines are springing up more frequently in rural areas where reductions in youth services and support have left young people without protection.