Eight arrested in crackdown on cannabis farms

Police have seized drugs worth £300,000 following raids at more than 40 properties in a crackdown on cannabis farms.

Officers carrying out Operation Borah in West Lothian have recovered around 350 plants and £10,000 in cash since December 1.

On Wednesday they targeted addresses in Livingston, Broxburn, West Calder and Blackburn, resulting in eight arrests.

Earlier in the month they seized 240 cannabis plants from a property in Fauldhouse.

Inspector Adam Smith, deputy area commander, said: “This operation shows our commitment to tackling the production and sale of drugs, and associated criminality, across West Lothian.

“Drugs are a blight on our communities and can have a devastating impact on people’s lives. The public have a vital role to play in helping us tackle drug supply and misuse, and we are thankful to them for the information they have provided us so far that has helped us shape this operation.”

Detective Inspector Paul Batten from Livingston CID said: “Those involved in the production of cannabis cultivations are not only breaking the law, but they are often putting themselves and others at risk due to the methods utilised in the cultivation process, including using powerful heating lamps and bypassing the mains electricity supply which increases the risk of fires.”