Durham Police seize £2m cannabis farm in Easington Colliery as 17 suspects are arrested in force-wide crackdown

By Gavin Ledwith
Published 16th Mar 2023, 18:35 BST
Updated 16th Mar 2023, 18:36 BST
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A cannabis farm with a street value of around £2m has been uncovered as part of a series of police raids.

The drugs den was removed from an undisclosed address in Easington Colliery on Wednesday, March 15, as part of Durham Police’s Operation Trident campaign.

Seventeen people in total were arrested during raids which also took in addresses in Peterlee, Darlington and Stanley.

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The 14 men and three women were detained in connection with burglary, criminal damage, theft, child neglect and cannabis cultivation offences.

A Police Community Support Officer during Durham Police's day of action as part of Operation Trident.A Police Community Support Officer during Durham Police's day of action as part of Operation Trident.
A Police Community Support Officer during Durham Police's day of action as part of Operation Trident.

Weapons and drugs were also seized.

The arrests bring the number detained during Operation Trident, which is the force’s response to neighbourhood crime, to more than 50.

Thanking the public for their support, Superintendent Lee Gosling said: “Anyone breaking the law could be next on the Trident list.”

Anyone with any information about suspicious activity in their area can share it via Durham Police’s live chat on their www.durham.police.co.uk website.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org/.