‘Scratch and sniff’ cards to help members of the public recognise the smell of cannabis are to be handed out across the region as part of a major crackdown on illegal drug farms.
The cards, which contain an element replicating the smell of cannabis in its growing state, will be used to target hotspots for illicit cultivation in West Yorkshire.
West Yorkshire is ranked first in the country for the number of cannabis farms found, according to a recent report by the Association of Chief Police Officers.
A 2012 review revealed residential buildings are increasingly being used to house cannabis farms, rather than industrial properties.
Police say there has been an increase in property crime, violence and firearm use linked to cannabis farms because of organised gangs infiltrating residential communities.
Between 2010 and 2012 1,800 cannabis farms were discovered in West Yorkshire.
The scratch and sniff cards, which contain a substance similar to cannabis with the controlled elements removed, are to be put through letterboxes in growing hotspots by charity Crimestoppers.
Director of Operations Roger Critchell said: “We are distributing scratch and sniff cards because not many people know how to recognise the signs of cannabis cultivation happening in their neighbourhood, many are also not familiar with the established links between this crime and serious organised crime.”
More than 350 cannabis farms holding more than 25 plants were discovered by police in Leeds last year, while 170 people were arrested for possessing the drug with intent to supply.
In November police found an underground cannabis farm after uncovering a secret trapdoor in the floor of a disused warehouse.
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