Over £1.2m worth of drugs have been seized by police in three separate operations in Belfast and Cookstown.
Thirty-two kilograms of suspected herbal cannabis, with an estimated street value of approximately £600,000, was seized following the search of a vehicle in the Dargan Road area of Belfast on Thursday.
A 45-year-old man was arrested and remains in custody being questioned on suspicion of possession of a Class B drug with intent to supply.
Detective Inspector Richard Thornton said: "We are committed to tackling the illegal supply and use of drugs. Like all illegal drugs, cannabis can have devastating, life-changing effects".
In a second police operation cannabis plants worth more than £600,000 have been seized from a rented house in south Belfast.
Around 1,500 plants were found at the house on Boucher Road on Wednesday that police believe had been used as cannabis factory for more than a year.
Detective Inspector Colin Patterson said those responsible are "only interested in lining their own pockets, with no thought whatsoever for those adversely affected by their financial gain".
"Some people think that cannabis is harmless – this is simply not true.
"Like other illegal drugs, it can damage both physical and mental health, causing harm and hurt to individuals and their loved ones.
"The consequences can be heart-breaking.
"We would advise landlords to make thorough checks of any potential tenants before letting their property, and to look out for tell-tale signs that a house is being used for such activity.”
Meanwhile, four men, a 25-year-old, 29-year-old and two aged 19 – were arrested in the Cookstown area yesterday following searches targeting illegal drugs.
The men were last night being held on suspicion of several offences, including possession of a class-A controlled drug, supplying a class-A controlled drug, possession and supply of a class-B controlled drug and possessing criminal property.
Detective Inspector Patterson said: "So far we have seized quantities of suspected class-A and B drugs along with a sum of cash and a vehicle as part of our investigation. An electric stun gun-type device was also recovered.
"Our enquiries are continuing at this stage. Initial estimates suggest that approximately £25,000 worth of controlled drugs were taken off the streets in the Mid-Ulster area with this operation.”
Police appealed to anyone with information on any of the recent operations to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
