More than £1 million worth of cannabis seized in the Isle of Man over the last 12 months

• Isle of Man Constabulary Chief Constable, Gary Roberts

The Isle of Man Constabulary has seized over £1 million worth of cannabis from criminals in a year-long police operation.

Operation Artemis targeted criminals based in the UK and the Isle of Man who supply large amounts of cannabis to organised crime groups.

Cannabis weighing over 54 kilos in total was seized, along with £247,170 in cash which was being moved to organised groups in Merseyside.

Five vehicles, which were used by drug traffickers, were also seized.

The operation saw 14 people convicted and they received a total of just over 39 years in prison between them.

Police said the operation has brought 'significant disruption' to organised criminal groups, and one long-standing group has been dismantled.

Chief Constable, Gary Roberts, said: "The prison on the Isle of Man is almost full of people who are drugs traffickers who get long-term imprisonments and that's the important message. We catch lots of people for dealing drugs and when they're caught they go to prison for a very long time."

The officer who led the investigation, Detective Inspector Jamie Tomlinson, said: "The successful outcome of the operation was a direct consequence of the dedication, skill and hard work of a small group of detectives.

"They confronted determined and well-resourced criminals and used a wide range of enforcement techniques to bring them to justice. I am proud of what we have achieved. Our efforts will continue and grow."

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