Five arrests after swoop on cannabis factory which contained 200 plants
Sussex Police officers raided the above Yummie Pizza in South Coast Road, Telscombe Cliffs.
Sussex Police officers raided the above Yummie Pizza in South Coast Road, Telscombe Cliffs.
A CANNABIS factory containing 200 plants was found operating above a takeaway pizza shop.
Five men were arrested and plants seized from a flat above Yummie Pizza in South Coast Road, Telscombe Cliffs.
It is estimated the hoard could be worth up to £170,000 and that the plants had been growing “for some time”.
Police spent most of Friday and part of Saturday at the scene while suspects were detained and questioned.
The takeaway, which is also known as Telscombe Kebab, was closed temporarily while the search was carried out.
Takeaway owner Davinder Singh, who also owns and privately rents the flat above, said it was a complete shock to find police searching the premises.
He said: “We had no idea this was going on and it is nothing to do with the takeaway.
“We closed Yummie Pizza while the police searched the building on Friday.
“The electricity was temporarily cut off from the flat too.
“We are open again now and we are trying to recover from everything and are trying to get back to normal.”
Eye-witnesses said officers spent long periods of time at the property and reported seeing large amounts of evidence bags being taken away from the property.
A Sussex Police spokesman said: “Police in Peacehaven discovered a large cannabis growing operation following the execution of a search warrant at Yummie Pizza at 418 to 420 South Coast Road.”
“Officers entered the premises as part of a pre-planned operation at approximately 10am on Friday.
“Once inside they discovered approximately 200 cannabis plants being grown at various stages of development as well as evidence that cultivation had been going on for some time.
“In total five men have been arrested in connection with the production of cannabis.
“Some of those have been released on police bail pending further inquiries while others remain in custody.”
Police were unable to confirm last night how many of the men arrested were still in custody.
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