British police announce success of a large-scale drugs operation conducted throughout June

Operation Mille, a large-scale drugs operation conducted throughout June in the UK, has achieved successful results, according to British police.

Over 450 individuals have been charged, and cannabis plants valued at more than £115 million ($146 million) were seized during the operation, which spanned England and Wales.

The searches and arrests carried out during Operation Mille were on an unprecedented scale and were executed rapidly, as stated by the police.

The seized cannabis plants, totaling nearly 200,000, were estimated to have a street value ranging from £115 million to £130 million ($147 million-$166 million).

The police reported, “Nearly 200,000 cannabis plants with an estimated street value of between £115-£130 million ($147 million-$166 million, 135 million-152 million euros) were seized,” according to an AFP report.

Moreover, over 1,000 people were arrested during the operation, with more than 450 of them subsequently facing charges.

Steve Jupp, the lead for serious organized crime at the National Police Chiefs’ Council, emphasized the direct connections between organized networks involved in cannabis production and other serious criminal activities.

Jupp stated to the press that “Organized networks involved in cannabis production are also directly linked to an array of other serious criminality such as class A drug importation, modern slavery, and wider violence and exploitation.”

The successful operation not only disrupted a significant amount of criminal activity but also provided valuable intelligence to inform future law enforcement efforts throughout the country, he added.

In addition to the cannabis plants, law enforcement officers seized 20 firearms and 26 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated street value of £1 million ($1.28 million).

According to AFP, recent crimes related to gangland feuds have deeply impacted the nation.

One case involved the tragic death of a nine-year-old girl named Olivia Pratt-Korbel in a shooting incident in Liverpool, where a man fleeing from a “high-level” cannabis dealer attempted to forcibly enter her home.

Another unfortunate incident near Liverpool resulted in the death of a 24-year-old woman who was caught in the crossfire during a gangland shooting at a pub. The perpetrator, Connor Chapman, is awaiting sentencing.