Gangs at war in bid to control cannabis business

National figures have revealed an “explosion” in trade in high-strength skunk cannabis in the past year, with a marked rise in shootings and gang-related violence.

The lucrative industry and perceived soft punishments for those caught setting up cannabis factories mean many local gangs involved in dealing Class A drugs are now forcing their way into a business traditionally dominated by Vietnamese and other south east Asian criminal groups.

The number of gangs now involved in setting up the cannabis factories means many are now targeting rural areas as places to grow the drug undetected.

In September, North Yorkshire Police discovered more than 50 plants during a raid at an address in Copgrove, a village neighbouring Staveley – which has some of the highest house prices in Yorkshire – between Harrogate and Boroughbridge.

It came months after the remains of an “industrial-scale” cannabis factory were discovered at a Georgian mansion by Cumbria Police, with officers saying a major criminal gang had sealed off 31 rooms to grow the drug.

In November, officers discovered 400 marijuana plants in a seven-bedroom Victorian home in Whitworth, near Todmorden.

Figures obtained by the Yorkshire Post show North Yorkshire Police seized 2,717 cannabis plants in the past financial year, 505 of which were from rural areas.

Humberside Police recovered 14,256 plants, 1,666 of which came from the East Riding – the most rural part of the force area, while South Yorkshire Police seized 28,744 plants during 843 raids.

Over the past three years, more than 5,120 cannabis factories containing in excess of 345,000 plants with an estimated annual yield of £560m have been discovered across the north-west of England.

Andy Ward, chair of the North-West Regional Organised Crime Unit and Assistant Chief Constable of Merseyside, where shootings soared by a third between April and September, has said much of the violence is due to an explosion of new gangs becoming involved in cannabis cultivation.

Bryan Dent, West Yorkshire Police drugs co-ordinator, said the problem was being mirrored across the region and was a “cause of concern”.

“We have seen in the past intrinsic links between south east Asian organised crime gangs, particularly Vietnamese, with links with people trafficking. Now many indigenous organised crime groups are coming through,” he added.

“Gangs involved in Class A distribution are diversifying into cannabis cultivation. The cannabis market is massive.

“We are alert to the fact of what has happened in Merseyside... but we also think the mechanisms we have got in place have lessened the impact on West Yorkshire communities.”

Mr Dent says the market has now become saturated with potent skunk more than double the strength it used to be and linked to a string of mental health problems. In West Yorkshire, the average strength of the drug is around 21 per cent, far above the national average of 16 per cent.

Mr Dent says he fears the widespread use of skunk could be a “mental health timebomb” for young people in the region.