NINE people were jailed today following an operation aimed at closing down cannabis factories run by organised crime groups.

They were arrested as part of Northumbria Police's Operation Scorpion which targeted a number of Vietnamese-run cannabis farms on Tyneside.

Around 3,500 cannabis plants, with a potential yield of around £2m, were recovered following coordinated raids in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Gateshead.

More than 100 officers, led by Northumbria Police's Crime Operations Department and assisted by Immigration Officers, raided four addresses in Newcastle at Newton Road, Simonside Terrace, Wingrove Road and Fairholm Road and two in Whitley Bay at Styan Avenue and Edwards Road. A further cannabis farm was also discovered at a house in Whitehall Road, Gateshead.

As well as the cannabis, a substantial amount of equipment used for ventilation, irrigation, heat and light were seized and later destroyed.

Detective Chief Inspector Tim Walker, of the force's Crime Operations Department, said: "This was a network of organised criminals involved in the large scale cultivation of cannabis.

"These defendants have been arrested as part of Operation Scorpion, a Northumbria Police operation targeting a number of Vietnamese run cannabis farms' on Tyneside.

"This sentence should send out a clear message that organised criminals will not be allowed to operate in Northumbria. We are committed to making our communities safer and reducing the supply of illegal drugs and we would urge people to be alert and report suspicious activity to their neighbourhood police team."

The growing trend of homes being converted into cannabis farms is not unique to Northumbria and has become a national issue.

Officers established a link between cannabis farms identified on Tyneside and a number of similar operations in the North West of England.

Five men and a woman were arrested locally for offences connected to the cultivation and distribution of cannabis.

A further three men were arrested in Merseyside and one man arrested in Greater Manchester in simultaneous raids by Merseyside and Greater Manchester Police as part of the same operation.

The UK Border Agency praised the work done by all officers involved in the operation.

Chris Hudson, Regional Director of the UK Border Agency, said: "Anyone breaking the law, irrespective of whether they are a British citizen or a foreign national, can expect prosecution and, where appropriate, a custodial sentence. We have also made it perfectly clear that we will seek to deport foreign nationals who have committed serious crimes such as these from the UK.

"Under the UK Borders Bill we are further tightening the law to deal with any foreign nationals who commit offences in this country. All those who commit serious offences will be considered for deportation, with the right to appeal withdrawn in all but exceptional circumstances.

"Over the last 12 months we have significantly increased the numbers of foreign national prisoners being deported. A record 4,200 foreign national criminals removed last year - beating the Prime Minister's target figure."

Today at Newcastle Crown Court they were jailed for a total of almost 20 years.