A CANNABIS farm and a stolen van were seized by police looking for stolen metal in raids on North- East scrap yards yesterday.

Although the swoops, which are only the second of their kind in the country, failed to find any stolen scrap, police told The Northern Echo the intelligence they had gathered from the raids made them a success.

The operation took place in Darlington and Hartlepool with the aim of disrupting trade in stolen scrap metal, which costs communities across the country an estimated £360m a year.

By targeting scrapyards, police hope to work with owners operating legitimately, and close down illegal operations, to ensure criminals have nowhere to sell stolen scrap.

The raids are part of the second phase of a 12-month pilot scheme, which could be expanded across the country if successful.

In Darlington, police arrested a man in connection with the stolen vehicle following the raids on four scrapyards on the Cleveland Trading Estate, in Forge Way.

A 25-plant cannabis farm was found in another scrapyard in the town, along with two packages of white powder and a number of pills which police believe are Class A drugs.

Nothing was seized during the Hartlepool raids.

The raids were a combined effort involving British Transport Police, Cleveland Police and the Environment Agency.

Detective Superintendent Ashley Croft told The Northern Echo police had targeted the North-East because it was a hotspot for this type of crime.

“I would call today a success because of the intelligence we have got as a result, as well as the stolen vehicle and drugs factory,” he said.

He said stolen scrap had serious consequences for communities and organised crime groups were often behind it.

“Most people won’t realise that the thefts of metal are taking place at all, but a good many will suffer from the consequences,” he said.

“These can include losing power if the national grid is affected, or the railway network being delayed.

“It is often low-level crime, but the consequences to communities can be serious. We are also seeing serious, organised crime groups diversifying into metal theft.”

He warned dealers in illegal metal that the police would come looking for them.

“We want to work with legitimate scrap metal businesses,” he said. “But where we find people operating illegally, we will bring the full force of the law to bear against them.