Cannabis farms being weeded out

POLICE are turning the screw on large-scale cannabis growers with another week of action to disrupt criminals and educate communities.

Greater Manchester Police are continuing the crackdown on cannabis cultivation and have executed warrants across Rochdale, Wigan and Bolton.

There have also been community-engagement initiatives where PCSOs have visited target areas.

The action comes two months after a campaign — held in conjunction with Crimestoppers — in which scratch-and-sniff cards emulating the smell of growing cannabis were distributed to residents across Greater Manchester.

There has since been a 20 per cent increase in public reporting of cannabis cultivation.

Det Supt Mark Smith said: “The Crimestoppers campaign helped our mission to destroy commercial cultivation — it has borne fantastic results. But the fight isn’t won just yet.

“This week is a public display of our continuous fight against cannabis cultivation. We will never ease the pressure on these criminals, whose actions seriously harm individuals neighbourhoods.”

Ring police on 101,or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555 111.