Detectives from Liverpool discovered a large cannabis farm in Southport yesterday (Monday, 16 January 2017).
Officers received a report shortly before 8.50am that entry had been forced to an industrial unit on Blowick Business Park, Crowland Street.
Patrols attended and discovered a cannabis farm containing 480 cannabis plants and growing equipment, which is in the process of being recovered. The cannabis farm had an estimated annual yield of £1.9m.
The scene was cordoned off to enable officers to recover the cannabis and forensically examine the scene.
Detective Constable Patrick Kilgannon said: “These plants would have been destined to be sold on our streets – thankfully these drugs will be taken out of circulation and can no longer be sold on our streets to cause harm and misery.
“Cannabis cultivation on this large scale is often done by criminal gangs, who don’t care about the dangers growing cannabis brings to neighbouring properties and in this case surrounding businesses. The people who set up these farms often tamper with the electricity meters to steal electricity and there will generally be a number of hot lamps and this, accompanied by an overloaded electricity system, can be a serious fire risk.
“Our communities can help us stop these groups, who are only interested in making money, from turning houses and industrial units into potential death traps. Nobody wants to live or work next door to these farms and we would ask that if you believe someone is using a premises for this purpose, please tell us so we can take action and find those responsible for setting them up.”
Some of the signs that cannabis is being grown are:
• Strange smells and sounds
• Frequent and varied visitors to a property, often at unusual times
• Gardening equipment being taken into a property, such as plant pots, fertiliser, fans and industrial lighting
• Windows are sealed and covered or the curtains are permanently closed
• Heat from an adjoining property
• Birds gathering on a roof in cold weather
• Individually these activities may seem commonplace, however, together may indicate something more sinister
Anyone with any information can call police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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