Police raid home after mistaking plants for drugs

A Farnborough couple were left shocked and confused when police forced their way into their home and searched for cannabis.

A Farnborough couple were left shocked and confused when police forced their way into their home and searched for cannabis.

Five plain clothes officers searched the Cove home of Mr Wang and his girlfriend at around 7.30am on Wednesday last week, but found nothing.

Miss Liu was in bed and Mr Wang was watching TV and eating breakfast when, he says, the door was opened and someone in the hall shouted "Police!"

Mr Wang says he spent the next 20 minutes in handcuffs while the officers searched the one-bedroom terraced house.

According to Mr Wang, the police examined houseplants the couple had bought from ASDA to see whether they were cannabis.

Police found nothing but told the couple that sources they could not disclose had contacted them about alleged drugs in the house.

Mr Wang said police re-mained in the house for a while explaining and apologising.

Mr Wang later rang the police station. He received an apology and was advised to make a complaint in writing.

Mr Wang said: "When they first came in I had no idea who they were.

"I recognise UK police in their uniforms, but these ones were in plain clothes and they forced the door open."

Mr Wang said neither he nor his girlfriend understood what cannabis plants were, or why the police were there.

"When they first arrived I felt like I was in an American cops movie," he said.

"I heard the door opening and I went into the hall and asked ‘what do you want?'

"They said ‘police' and put me in handcuffs and sat me on the couch in my living room and said they were looking for cannabis plants.

"Two female officers went upstairs and got my girlfriend out of bed and told her to put her hands up.

"They took her down to the living room with me while they searched the bathroom.

"After they had left we had to do our own investigation on-line about cannabis plants. Only then did we know what they were and that they were illegal in the UK."

He said police did not damage the front door or anything in the house, and left it as tidy as they had found it.

The couple have no idea why police thought there were drugs in the house.

Mr Wang, 29, and Miss Liu, 26, are both from China and met while they were living in Finland.

They moved to Farnborough in August because Mr Wang was transferred by Nokia, who he works for as a software engineer.

Mr Wang was too shaken to go into work on Wednesday.

He added: "I rang the police in Finland once to complain about a neighbour's noise.

"They were much more gentle. They knocked on my neighbours and asked them to turn down their heavy metal."

Commander for Rushmoor District, Chief Inspector Duncan Weston, said: "Officers executed a drugs warrant granted by Aldershot Magistrates Court to search an address in Dart Road on Wednesday morning.

"It is a matter for the officers conducting the search to decide whether or not to handcuff anyone in the premises.

"This decision is based on a number of factors, such as whether the person is likely to interfere with the search, whether they may try to escape or where they present a risk to the searching officers.

"On this occasion the officers did handcuff a man

in the premises whilst the search was conducted.

"The search indicated no link whatsoever to drug use or supply, and nobody was arrested.

"When the search was completed the occupants were given help to ensure that their premises were secured and given information on how to seek compensation for any damage caused.

"An apology was also given at the time.

"We have executed a large number of search warrants over the last year with considerable success in tackling those who seek to pollute our communities with drugs.

"It is clear that on this occasion the information we received from a number of sources was incorrect.

"I can only reinforce the apology already given to the family concerned.

"As is our normal practice, we gave them information on the police complaints process and I can confirm a complaint has been received and is being investigated."

http://www.gethampshire.co.uk 18/08/2013