Bircotes cannabis plants discovered in county-wide police crackdown
A Bircotes cannabis growing operation was among the crops county cops raided in a month-long crackdown.
A Bircotes cannabis growing operation was among the crops county cops raided in a month-long crackdown.
A Bircotes cannabis growing operation was among the crops county cops raided in a month-long crackdown.
Notts Police discovered 287 cannabis plants in 16 raids across the county.
They made 13 arrests and drugs worth up to £240,000 were seized after tip-offs from the public as part of the police's Not in My Neighbourhood campaign.
Detective Inspector Mike Allen, who led the investigation, said: "We had some good intelligence given to us as a result of the campaign, and this has led us to some sizeable cannabis crops. We will now look to pursue the offenders through the courts – making our communities safer as a result."
In some properties there were as few as four plants – while in others officers found up to 35.
Police also gave training to council workers and the Notts Fire and Rescue to make them more aware of fire hazards around cannabis cultivation – which often sees growers bypassing the electricity supply.
They told landlords to look out for tell-tale signs, including high electricity bills or lots of equipment, including soil bags, being moved in.
And residents were asked to be aware of suspicious activity in their neighbourhoods, such as windows always being shut or covered, people coming and going at odd hours and the distinctive sickly sweet smell of cannabis.
As well as stopping the drugs being sold, another aim of the campaign was to tackle an increase in burglaries and robberies linked to the cannabis trade.
In 2013 there were 127 home break-ins linked to cannabis and in 39 per cent of these cases the householders were injured.
Police say a large number of these related to offenders targeting the wrong property – either to steal drugs or threaten growers.
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