A police force has been conducting raids to target the “thriving” mail-order drugs business.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the acquisition of drugs in online forums has opened up significantly over the last year.
“We’re seeing everything from Class A across Class B drugs in addition to other illicit items, including weapons from the same vendors very often,” Det Insp Mark Holt said.
The force said Salford was the biggest source of cannabis supply and demand across Greater Manchester.
In the past 12 months, officers had seized more than 2,800 packets of cannabis en-route to Greater Manchester, weighing in at over 2,700 kg (5,900 lbs).
A 39-year-old man was arrested following a raid in Swinton on suspicion of importation and possession of cannabis.
“We know with criminality there’s innovation and with that innovation there’s an onus on law enforcement agencies to innovate in our response,” Det Insp Holt said.
“It’s difficult, but we are responding all the time to the ever emerging threat and the way we have to serve our communities by looking at new ways of investigating and detecting crime.”
Greater Manchester Police has launched the ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ campaign, which aims to tackle the issue of purchasing cannabis online by raising awareness and highlighting the consequences it carries.
“In the short term it may seem lucrative, there may be offers of financial reward or scratching of debts but the reality is in the long term this is not lucrative,” Detective Inspector Holt said.
“Once you’ve been exploited, once you’ll be exploited again.”
He said the force was committed to “safeguarding vulnerable victims” who might be more susceptible to exploitation by criminals over Christmas.
He said: “Our message is simple; come to us, raise these [issues] with us.
“We’re here to look after our communities, to look after those who are vulnerable to criminals and those who seek to exploit those frailties.”