CANNABIS and weapons have been seized in a series of police raids in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.

Search warrants have been executed in the three boroughs as part of Operation Flytrap IIII, aimed at cracking down on people who cultivate cannabis in ‘factory-type’ operations.

So far four cannabis farms have been uncovered at houses in Pendle and Rossendale and a machete and drug cultivation equipment have been taken from a property in Briercliffe, Burnley.

It is part of the wider Operation Flytrap, which targets serious organised crime.

Supt Steve Pemberton, operations manager at Pennine Div-ision, praised the community for providing information to help catch offenders.

He said: “Thankfully, we get a good deal of support from local communities here in Pennine Division resulting in the information we need to take action against cannabis farms.

“It is this type of community information which we will be acting on this week as part of Operation Flytrap.”

Police found the machete-type knife after swooping on a house in Lydgate, Briercliffe, this morning.

Earlier in the week police seized eight cannabis plants from a house in West View, Haslingden, where they also destroyed a cultivation system.

The owner of the house was given a police caution.

Eighteen cannabis plants along with a quantity of cannabis bush were found at a property in Greenbridge South, Cowpe, where the occupier was arrested on suspicion of cultivating the Class B drug and was last night being quizzed by detectives.

At Spodden Cottages, Whitworth, 40 cannabis plants were, seized and inquiries to trace the house-owner are ongoing.

And 23 cannabis plants were found at a house in Knowsley Street, Colne, where the occupier was given a police caution.