South Yorkshire Police shut down 61 cannabis farms and seized 6,797 plants with a street value of £6.8 million in Rotherham between October 2021 and February 2022.[1] The crackdown, named Operation Grow, began after electricity stolen by indoor grows started cutting power across the town, sometimes several times a day.[1][2]
Officers arrested 25 suspected growers working for 17 gangs, with ten prosecuted and two jailed by the time the results were announced on 7 February 2022.[1] Local MP Sarah Champion said residents were suffering anti-social behaviour and turf wars between criminal gangs alongside the outages.[1] One resident said the cuts came every day, leaving no cooking, cleaning or heating, because gas boilers need electricity.[1]
Why the operation started
Parts of Rotherham suffered repeated blackouts in November 2021 as farms tapped the mains supply, and the dedicated Operation Grow team of police and council officers began daily dawn raids that October.[1][2] By December 2022 the operation had grown to 102 warrants, 25 arrests, 70 properties closed under housing powers and £20.5 million of cannabis taken off the streets.[2]
