Scottish police seize cannabis worth £40 million
Over 130,000 plants taken by officers
Published: 30/08/2010
SCOTLAND’S police forces seized nearly £40 million worth of cannabis plants in the past four years, figures released today showed.
Over 130,000 plants were taken by police – enough to cover the football pitches at Hampden Park, Ibrox and Celtic Park.
The plants, with an estimated street value of £39.2 million, were seized under a national crackdown on cannabis cultivation launched in 2006.
Since then, police unearthed 278 commercial cannabis cultivations in Scotland and arrested 304 people in connection with the seizures.
Most of the people arrested were of Asian origin, with 74% of those arrested being Chinese and 22% Vietnamese. So far in 2010, police seized more than 12,000 plants worth £3.6 million.
Cultivations were found in all eight of Scotland’s police forces including Grampian.