Laughing gas Sharrow: Arrests after Sheffield police drugs raid seizes £500,000 worth of cannisters

Officers say they seized 12,500 cannisters in the action at a property in Sharrow, and in three storage units elsewhere in the city, after going into the building with search warrants.

Two men, aged 26 and 51, both from the Sharrow area, were arrested. One was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a psychoactive substance and possession of criminal property, and the second was arrested on suspicion of possession of criminal property on May 19. They have been bailed while enquiries continue.

Nitrous Oxide, or ‘laughing gas’, is used as an aerosol spray propellant within whipped cream canisters, and while it has some uses in medicine and dentistry, it is classed as a ‘psychoactive substance’. That means if individuals or businesses are found to be supplying to provide people with a ‘high’, they may be breaking the law.

PC Daniel Rice said: “The illicit supply of NOS can not only cause serious harm to people’s health, but its use is also linked to anti-social behaviour and the proceeds are often invested into organised crime and can help fund more serious offences.

“Following a detailed intelligence gathering phase, officers took strong, swift action to successfully take large quantities of NOS out of the supply chain, and put a considerable dent in the pockets of the suppliers distributing it illegally.

“Our work to tackle the illegal supply of NOS does not stop here, and if you are supplying NOS (nitrous oxide) illegally in the city, then expect a visit from us.”