Cannabis gangs hunt out drug dens using hi-tech cameras

Gangs in Wolverhampton are using thermal imaging cameras to identify and raid homes hiding cannabis factories, police say.

Organised criminals have used the heat-seeking equipment to target at least 12 homes across the city since December 16 – however two of the homes raided were innocent parties not involved in the drugs trade.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “We’re appealing for information and for people to be vigilant following a number of burglaries in Wolverhampton where it is believed thermal imaging cameras have been used to identify cannabis factories.

“We suspect organised criminals are using the heat-seeking cameras to try to seek out existing cannabis factories operating in homes.”

The raids have been carried out in Whitmore Reans, Parkfields, Blakenhall and the Pennfields area, but no-one has been injured.

Hundreds of homes and industrial units are used as makeshift cannabis factories across the region with rows upon rows of the plants grown under heat lamps – which can be detected by the thermal imaging cameras from outside.

Of the most high profile police discoveries, a large cannabis farm packed with 200 plants was found growing in the old Nationwide building near the Man on the 'Oss statue in Queen Square.

A cannabis farm, left, was found in the old Nationwide building, top right, last August. Workers had to dig into the street to isolate the power, bottom right.

The drugs farm was spread over three floors and the basement of the dilapidated former building society last August.

It was revealed last year that a cannabis factory is raided in the Black Country every three days – with almost £80 million of the Class B drug seized in the past five years.

And the street value of the average plant has more than doubled over recent times, rising from £450 to £1,000, making them a lucrative target for organised criminal gangs.

Police and crime commissioner David Jamieson said: “The use of this type of advanced technology by criminals is concerning to us all.”

Anyone with information – or who spots someone using a camera or device – is asked to contact police.

Call police on 101 call Crimestoppers on anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use www.west-midlands.police.uk

This article was updated with more information at 3pm on 06/01/20 on the police investigation.