£2million cannabis farm busted and 17 arrested in police raids - drugs, weapons and cash seized

Officers arrested the 17 people for a range of offences including burglary, criminal damage, theft, child neglect and the cultivation of cannabis.

Some 30 officers taking part in Operation Trident 14 hit several address on March, some using warrants, but in other cases, police simply knocked on the door.

A cannabis farm, with an estimated street value of approximately £2million, was uncovered in Easington Colliery during the operation and subsequently dismantled and removed.

Durham Constabulary said the action was taken in response to tackling neighbourhood crime, with officers out and about early giving suspects an unexpected and unwanted wake-up calls.

The force said the result brings the total arrested in ‘days of action’ during the operation to more than 50 in less than three months.

Suspected criminals are being warned ‘if you are on the list, you will be caught’.

Officers visited addresses in a number of locations in the force area, including Peterlee, Darlington, and Stanley.

Weapons, drugs and a quantity of cash were also seized.

Superintendent Lee Gosling, of Durham Constabulary, said: “These are some of the most prolific offenders who are causing misery to the communities in which they live.

“If you are prepared to commit a crime, then you must be prepared to face the consequences. This kind of action by the force will continue, and anyone breaking the law could be next on the Trident list.

“We will continue to use all the resources at our disposal to catch these people.

“We know our communities will not tolerate this kind of criminality and we would like to thank the public for their continued support.”

“If you have any information regarding potential criminality in your community then please report it to us - we will always act on intelligence submitted to us.

Anyone with any information about suspicious activity happening in their area can share it via our live chat on our website at durhampolice.co.uk

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.