DYFED-POWYS POLICE say they have seized cannabis plants worth more than £860,000 in a week-long operation targeting large-scale production by organised crime gangs.

Officers raided six properties across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Powys as part of Operation Mille 3, an initiative aimed at disrupting illegal cannabis farms. Seven people were arrested, and six have been charged with production.

Detective Chief Inspector Rich Lewis said: “In just one week, we have seized and destroyed a significant amount of cannabis, which will no doubt have disrupted organised criminal activity within Dyfed-Powys and beyond.

“The growth of cannabis on a commercial scale is a problem we have faced over the past year in Dyfed-Powys, but we are taking a robust approach to stamping it out.”

WEST WALES FLOODED WITH CANNABIS FARMS

The operation follows a surge in the number of cannabis farms uncovered across West Wales in the last 12 months, with almost every town in the region affected. Police say the sheer scale of illegal production has highlighted the growing influence of organised crime networks in rural communities.

It also comes after significant police raids in Pembrokeshire and Swansea, where large-scale cannabis farms have been shut down.

In Pembrokeshire, officers raided a former chemist shop on Main Street, Pembroke, in October, discovering hundreds of cannabis plants in what police described as an “industrial-scale” operation. The discovery led to multiple arrests and an ongoing investigation into links with wider criminal networks.

Meanwhile, in Swansea, police executed a warrant at a warehouse in the city centre, uncovering a sophisticated cannabis factory with lighting and irrigation systems designed for large-scale production. That raid resulted in the seizure of thousands of pounds worth of cannabis and several arrests.

RAIDS ACROSS WEST WALES

The latest operation began on Monday, February 17, with a raid on a house on Cambrian Street, Llanelli. A 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of producing cannabis, and 179 plants were seized, with a potential street value of up to £61,600.

The following day, officers raided a rural property outside Kidwelly, seizing 194 plants worth an estimated £264,100. The homeowner and another man were arrested.

On Friday, February 21, officers executed a warrant at Mansel Street, Burry Port, where nearly 170 cannabis plants were found, valued at approximately £166,000. Another suspect was arrested.

The final Carmarthenshire raid took place at Gilbert Crescent, Llanelli, where officers seized almost 150 plants, worth up to £113,000.

Further raids were carried out at properties in Newtown and a rural location in Llanfihangel-ar-Arth, leading to the arrests of a man and a woman.

ORGANISED CRIME UNDERMINED

Operation Mille 3 builds on the success of Operation Scotney, which has been running since January 2024. Over that period, officers have shut down more than 40 large-scale cannabis farms, seizing drugs valued at over £12 million.

DCI Lewis added: “Our communities might assume cannabis on this scale is grown in industrial units or remote areas, but this week’s raids have targeted terraced rental properties in or near town centres, converted to grow hundreds of plants.”

WARNING SIGNS

Police are urging the public to remain vigilant and report signs of illegal cannabis production, which include:

• Condensation on windows
• A strong smell
• Excessive garden waste
• Covered windows
• Bright lights on at odd hours
• Frequent power cuts
• People coming and going at unusual times

Anyone with information is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police or the independent charity Crimestoppers.

(Images: Martin Cavaney/Herald)