Cannabis 'not welcome in Staffordshire' as police launch new anti-drug operation
A new anti-drugs operation has been launched in Staffordshire after more than 200 cannabis farms were found in the past year.
Staffordshire Police is aiming to disrupt and deter drug operations through Operation Levidrome.
Investments have been made in specialist equipment and training to enable greater evidence gathering and intelligence sharing to seek out and arrest those responsible.
Detective Superintendent Tom Chisholm said: “Large-scale cannabis farming is becoming increasingly commonplace and we have sustained efforts to clamp down on this activity; we want to make it very clear that it is not welcome in Staffordshire.
“Cannabis is a controlled Class B drug and its cultivation is often linked to more serious and complex crime. Offenders are likely to be part of an organised crime network and often they are intent on exploiting vulnerable people to ‘tend to’ or ‘cultivate’ the grows.
“It is vitally important the public understand that cannabis farming is often linked to sophisticated criminal networks where there are high levels of serious and dangerous criminality.
"There are also significant fire safety concerns linked to cannabis farming which further highlights the disregard these criminals have in putting people at risk for criminal gain.
“Both the public and our partners play an important role in providing intelligence around cannabis cultivation and we continue to appeal for information from landlords, letting agents and the wider public to report any suspicious activity.”
Cannabis farms can often be found in vacant warehouses or business premises, however the force is responding to increasing reports of large-scale grows found in residential properties, particularly in terrace housing.
Offenders will often buy or rent the property for the sole purpose of growing cannabis and will manually tamper with the electrics to bypass any meters.
Staffordshire Police is warning residents that signs of cannabis farming include pungent smells, high levels of condensation on windows, blacked-out or covered windows, a constant buzz of ventilation, lots of power cables, and strong lighting which is constant throughout the day or night.
Furthermore, a high number of deliveries or large items being taken in or out of a property, and unsociable visits from unfamiliar faces, could signify cannabis farming.
Anyone with any information can contact Staffordshire Police by sending a direct message through Facebook or Twitter or calling 101.
