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Police officers threatened to arrest Facebook users who mocked their "tiny drugs bust" of a small amount of cannabis seized from a man in a parked car.

Officers from West Yorkshire Police Wakefield Rural wrote about a "small quantity" of cannabis they had confiscated from a young man on Tuesday in a post that has since been deleted from the social media site.

The force said it had banned "a number of people" from their Facebook page after the post received an onslaught of sarcastic comments.

Police Inspector Martin Moizer wrote a second message on Thursday warning people they could be prosecuted for writing "insulting, abusive or offensive" responses.

The initial post said: "Cannabis Seized. PCSO 687 Ian Campbell and PCSO 882 Ben Hughes attended Walton colliery nature park and seized a small quantity of Cannabis from a young man who was parked up alone.

"Walton Colliery nature park will be firmly on our patrol plan in the future to prevent this behaviour."

However, people online were less than impressed by their efforts.

One person wrote: "Wow that's put a dent in the war on drugs lol."

Following a barrage of cheeky responses, PCI Moizer stepped in.

He wrote: "Unfortunately we have had to ban a number of people from using this page today. I would like to remind everyone that this is a police page and whatever your thoughts on one of my officers seizing drugs in the community, being insulting, abusive or offensive can and will result in a prosecution under the Malicious Communications Act 1988.

"We will not overlook the significant harm that illegal drugs cause to our communities. We know from experience that this can progress from using what are perceived to be recreational drugs to more addictive and harmful substances and the resulting criminality used to fund their continued use.

"Please use this page with respect or you will be banned and maybe even prosecuted."