Five cannabis farmers have been jailed following an operation to target cannabis farms in the north east.
In a series of coordinated strikes officers from Northumbria Police’s Total Policing Task Force raided four addresses in South Tyneside and Gateshead as part of Operation Robot.
Officers from the Cleveland Police Organised Crime Unit carried out simultaneous strikes at two addresses in Middlesbrough.
Five cannabis farms were dismantled and a total of 2,500 plants recovered with an estimated street value of £500,000.
At Newcastle Crown Court today they were jailed for a total of more than 12 years. Five of them will be deported on completion of their sentence.
Detective Superintendent Ralph Logan of the Total Policing Task Force said “The cultivation of cannabis is closely linked to organised crime and brings crime into our communities.
“Neighbourhood teams are working closely with landlords and residents to educate them about the signs that properties may be being used for growing cannabis and we are grateful for their help in tackling this issue.
“Cannabis farms are not just an issue for our force, they are part of the national picture, but they will not be tolerated in Northumbria and we are working with area commands and neighbouring forces to target the organised production of cannabis in the force area.”
Officers discovered farms at two properties on Marshall Wallis Road (500 plants), South Shields and at a flat on Ocean Road (552 plants) , South Shields. A man and woman were arrested at a house on Chesterwood Terrace, Pelaw.
In the Cleveland Police area officers discovered farms at a house at Belle Vue Grove and a house at Marton Road (total of 1,500 plants), both in Middlesbrough.
Sentence details are as follows:
Van Chu Dang, 40, of no fixed abode, sentenced to two years for being concerned in the production of cannabis. Arrested at Marshall Wallis Road, South Tyneside.

Leonida Lucia Balanquit, 39, of Chesterwood Terrace, Bill Quay, Gateshead, sentenced to two years and three months for conspiracy to produce cannabis. (Not automatically deported)
Tien Dung Nguyen, 22, of Marton Road, Middlesbrough, sentenced to two years for producing cannabis.
Xuan Quang Nguyen, whose age has been assessed as more than 18 years, of no fixed abode, sentenced to one year and eight months for producing cannabis. Arrested at Belle View Grove, Middlesbrough.

Note to editors Huyen Nguyen, 21, of Chesterwood Terrace, Bill Quay, Gateshead, was sentenced to two and a half years for conspiracy to produce cannabis at a previous hearing. She was arrested as part of this operation.