Police seize cannabis worth £4m

A total of 13 people have been charged after police seized thousands of cannabis plants across the north-east of England valued at about £4m.

The nine men, three youths and one woman were arrested in Newcastle, Northumberland and Sunderland between November 2008 and July this year.

Northumbria Police officers dismantled 18 cannabis farms, recovering more than 9,000 plants in the raids.

All have been charged with conspiracy to produce cannabis.