Police warn these signs could indicate a drug gang in your area

Police have warned of new signs which could indicate a drug gang may be operating in an area, after spotting an ‘emerging pattern’.

Officers from Humberside Police noticed electricity is now being directly abstracted from the road while investigating cannabis farms across Yorkshire.

What to look for

The force warned that communities should look out for unmarked vans in the area, with those completing the work typically wearing unbranded protective wear, such as hi-vis jackets and hard hats.

Police say they may ask residents to move their vehicle, or they might work extremely close to cars in order not to raise a direct concern.

There may also be late night activity at an address with items being removed.

The work will involve digging a hole and very quickly re-covering it as though nothing has happened.

Detective Inspector Tom Kelly said: “Whilst investigating these cannabis grows, we have noticed that electricity is often now being directly abstracted from the road.

“What this means is that those running the factories are digging up the roads, posing as legitimate workers, and then refilling the roads back in as if nothing has been done, once they have managed to tap into the power supply.

“Not only is the abstraction of electricity in this way incredibly dangerous for those living on the street, often these criminals are exploiting vulnerable people through modern day slavery to complete the work for them, which we won’t accept.

“I am appealing to you to get in touch with us at the earliest opportunity if you suspect this activity is taking place.”

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading. NationalWorld is a new national news brand, produced by a team of journalists, editors, video producers and designers who live and work across the UK. Find out more about who’s who in the team, and our editorial values. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going.