Cannabis Farm growth In England And Wales

[Cozmo]

The number of cannabis farms being uncovered by police in England and Wales has trebled in the last two years, according to a report by drugs information charity DrugScope published Tuesday.

The charity said on average, three dope farms have been raided each day in the last six months while in the last two years, 1,500 were found in London alone -- up from about 500 in the previous two years.

An article in the organisation's Druglink magazine said more than 60 percent of cannabis sold in Britain was now grown here, compared with just 11 percent 10 years ago.

On average, 400 plants are recovered in a single police raid while analysis of such operations across the country found that up to three-quarters of cannabis farms were run by Vietnamese criminal gangs.

Vietnamese-run cannabis farms have been found in London, south Wales, Birmingham, East Anglia, Yorkshire and north-east England.

DrugScope's chief executive Martin Barnes told the BBC that many farms were set up in empty residential properties and can have links to people trafficking.

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