Parents warned as police seize drug-laced sweets in Leeds raids

Officers raided two addresses in Seacroft on Monday, November 15.

At one address, they recovered various packets believed to be so-called cannabis ‘edibles’, which are sweets containing THC - the psychoactive chemical in cannabis that causes intoxication.

Inspector Jodie Scatchard, who heads the Leeds East Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "These suspected drugs were in packaging similar to popular confectionery and snacks and could easily be mistaken by children for ordinary sweets.

"We have seen incidents elsewhere in West Yorkshire where children have needed hospital treatment after being taken ill from consuming so-called edibles.

"They often contain a high dose of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, which means that people can feel very unwell very quickly.

"We have been aware of this particular form of cannabis being in circulation for some time and we continue to target those involved in their supply, with arrests and seizures and investigations ongoing.

"While we don’t feel these items would be widely available for children to access, we think it is worth parents being aware of them so they can be vigilant.

"We continue to work with our partner agencies, including local schools, to raise awareness of the issues as part of our ongoing efforts to safeguard young people from the use of these and other drugs."

Police have asked anyone with information to contact them on 101 or visiting the website.