CANNABIS worth an estimated £250,000 has been seized by Devon and Cornwall Police after a major crackdown on large-scale cannabis cultivation.

During a week of intensified effort to target organised crime in February, the force executed more than 30 property searches, seizing more than 2,000 plants and arresting 36 people in the process.

The action, a part of Operation Mille, also saw £57,335 cash recovered, as well as varying quantities of other drugs seized, including, cocaine and ketamine.

Six knives, a gun, an axe and an electrocution device were also seized.

Operation Mille is a national intensification effort targeting organised crime groups involved in large scale cannabis production.

In Devon and Cornwall, as part of simultaneous Operation Mille and regional Operation Scorpion activity, approximately 500 cannabis plants of varying growth stages were seized from six locations, with an estimated street value of £250,000.

Assistant Chief Constable Jim Pearce of Devon & Cornwall Police, said: ‘Behind these operations lies a much larger network of organised crime, which brings significant harm and disruption to our communities.

‘Cannabis farms are often linked to anti-social behaviour, violence, and other drug related activities.

‘The illegal profits fund further criminality both in the UK and internationally.’

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: ‘A lot of the successful police activity had been driven by ordinary members of the public like you or I, and we would like to thank everyone for the information they have provided and reinforce the importance of community intelligence to ensure success.’