Police seize £71,000 of cannabis as man, 32, held in Doncaster drug factory bust

Three arrests were made in total during a day of action in Bentley as police cracked down on drugs, anti-social behaviour and speeding.

The blitz came after one angry resident last week demanded action in the area, describing Bentley as ‘a forgotten village’ and ‘like something out of a horror movie’ with spiralling crime.

A spokesman for Doncaster North Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “We were in Bentley for a day of action tackling the issues that local residents have told us matter to them the most.”

“Officers were joined by specialist teams from around the force including Fortify, our dedicated response to organised crime, Roads Policing Group, and our mounted section.

2The council’s Safer Communities Team, traffic enforcement team and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) were also involved.”

The day started with the execution of a drugs warrant at a property on Bentley Road.

Officers discovered 71 cannabis plants, with a street value of around £71,000 inside.

A 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of cannabis cultivation and possession of class A drug. He was he was released on police bail pending further enquiries.

A further two people were arrested throughout the day. A 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and a second man was arrested for failing to appear at court.

The spokesman added: “A van that was spotted driving along York Road with an insecure load was taken to the mobile enforcement site.

"The driver was wanted for questioning by Doncaster Council’s Enforcement Team and was given a £400 fine for fly tipping last month.

"The van was seized for having no tax and the driver was given a traffic offence report for having an insecure load and given a ticket for failing to secure a child in a car seat.”

Four other vehicles were seized – two for having no insurance, one for having no MOT and one which was on false registration plates after being stolen. A further two vehicles were given prohibition notices and seven received advice notices due to the condition of the vehicles.

Speeding operations were carried out on Watch House Lane, Jossey Lane, Askern Road and the A19 at Toll Bar, with 15 letters issued to speeding motorists.

“As well as enforcement, the teams were also busy engaging with the local community with a pop-up police stations, activities with local school children and patrols from our mounted section, the spokesman added.

PC Karen Stebel, who lead the operation, said: “The day of action is just one example of the work that we are doing to address the issues that residents in Bentley have told us are a problem for them. It was a successful day and I want to thank the residents who engaged with us.

“We all need to work together to make our communities the great places to live and work that everyone deserves. It was a fantastic example of that partnership working in action.

“Our activity to tackle concerns in the area does not stop there, and we will keep you updated on our future days of action and our ongoing work.”