The number of cannabis grows across the city has been cut by more than half thanks to a joint council and police crackdown.
The successful Weed Them Out campaign brings together council teams, police officers and local communities to identify, disrupt and shut down illegal cannabis cultivation.
It builds on wider work already delivering results across the city to make the city more family friendly.
Over the past 12 months, the number of cannabis grows uncovered in Stoke-on-Trent has fallen by 53.7 per cent as partners continue to share intelligence and take action against illegal operations.
Cannabis grows are often linked to wider criminal activity and can pose a significant risk to neighbouring homes and businesses. Illegal electricity connections used to power grows can increase the risk of fire, while the criminal networks behind them can have a harmful impact on local communities.
Through close partnership working, intelligence about suspected cannabis grows can be quickly shared and investigated, enabling enforcement action to be taken and illegal operations shut down.
Councillor Duncan Walker, Cabinet Member for Community Safety at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: "This is another brilliant example of our ongoing work to create safe neighbourhoods and make Stoke-on-Trent an even better place for families to live, work and thrive.
“Weed Them Out shows what can be achieved when partners work together with a shared goal of keeping our communities safe.
"Cannabis grows aren’t victimless. They can bring organised crime into our neighbourhoods and create serious risks for people living and working in neighbouring properties.
"A reduction of more than 53 per cent is a fantastic result, but we are not complacent. We will continue working closely with Staffordshire Police to identify illegal cannabis cultivation, take robust action against those responsible and encourage residents to report any concerns."
Temporary Chief Inspector Victoria Ison, of the Stoke-on-Trent north local policing team, said: “Cannabis grows are often linked with serious criminal networks and usually involve the exploitation of vulnerable people.
“I am glad that, through proactive partnership working, we have been able to disrupt the cultivation and supply of cannabis across Stoke-on-Trent.
“We will continue to act on the concerns of local people and target drug supply in Stoke-on-Trent.”
Residents are encouraged to continue reporting any suspected cannabis cultivation to Staffordshire Police or anonymously through Crimestoppers. Information from the public remains vital in helping partners identify and disrupt criminal activity across the city.
For more information, visit: https://www.stoke.gov.uk/communitypartnerships
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