A hare coursing crackdown in Lincolnshire has resulted in more than 20 people arrested and seven cars seized.
Lincolnshire Police's Rural Crime Team continued to target hare coursers across the county, with 22 arrests made in November.
As well as making arrests, police seized property, with 23 dogs and seven cars seized in November.
The majority of these incidents happened in the south of county, in particular the South Holland area.
Hare poaching can lead to criminal damage, theft, vandalism, and violence. The season usually begins after harvest, as poachers take advantage of bare fields.
A single incident can cause thousands of pounds worth of damage to land and crops, and see farmers and landowners violently abused.
Superintendent Lee Pache, head of specialist operations at Lincolnshire Police, said the crackdown had been a 'real team effort'.
"I would like to thank the public for continuing to report hare coursing incidents to us. The reports and patrols of our officers led to arrests, and we await the court appearances and outcomes.
“We continue to build close links with our rural communities which has helped us build intelligence around where hare coursers operate and sometimes who they are."
Superintendent Pache added that some criminals would travel hundreds of miles to be involved and were often associated with organised crime gangs.
“What many people don’t realise is that the hare coursing is a means for these gangs to generate huge sums of money through live-streaming their activities for illegal gambling around the world," he said, adding that this funded other criminal activity.
“We would urge members of the public to report any instances of active hare coursing by calling 999 or reporting online after the event.”
It comes after seven police across across England recently teamed up with the National Police Air Service to combat hare coursing as the season commences.
Essex, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, Norfolk and Suffolk police forces will use helicopters and drones to improve their ability to spot hare courses in action.
