Properties could still remain a target under cannabis legalisation  

The cannabis factory found in the former Q Club in Burton

WHILE the debate as to whether cannabis should be legalised continues to sway back and forth, the discovery of Burton's latest factory has highlighted another issue surrounding the drug.

Tuesday's haul, which saw 96 plants seized by officers from both Staffordshire and West Midlands Police, has prompted a response from the town's local policing team highlighting the problem posed by illegal production within the community. Local commander Steve Maskrey is calling on home and business owners to keep an eye on properties in the area that could be rented out via dubious means.

Only last month officers uncovered what they described as an 'industrial scale' cannabis factory at a property in High Street, where five of the rooms had been converted for the purpose of growing the drug. Sophisticated lighting and climate control equipment was fitted in each.

Mr Maskrey says that those that are currently vacant, or are rented by paying cash up front, are the ideal place for opportunist cannabis growers to grow the class B plant en-masse in order for wider distribution. Landlords of both dwellings and business premises are being asked to check any properties within their portfolios regularly in order to deter criminals from setting up a cannabis factory.

He said: "Those responsible for setting up these factories cause damage to properties often running into tens of thousands of pounds. They are serious and organised criminals and bring misery and deprivation to our communities."

Following the discovery of the factory at the former Q Club in Burton town centre, Sergeant Tyrone Kerr said that it was imperative officers established who was behind the set up in order to try and stamp out production in the future. Commenting at the time of the discovery, he said: "The next step is for us to get special forensic officers in along with DNA officers from West Midlands Police so that we can trace the owner of the building."

To what extent illegal cannabis factories are seen to be a major problem within East Staffordshire is still open to debate. Although the two most recent discoveries came only a month apart from one another, the borough council says that it is not something that has been raised as a major concern within its landlord forum.

A spokesman told the Mail: "Private sector landlords have shared at our landlord's forum that they are aware the illegal use of private rented housing for cannabis-growing is a known issue nationally.

"They warned each other to question whether people offering to pay six months' rent in advance up front might be planning cannabis-growing operations. The council's housing teams have not uncovered any instances of this other than a very small number that the police had already dealt with."

For the time being, the borough council says that the risk appears to remain small, but adds that landlords should always remain vigilant when managing the renting of private houses in case a tenant intends to primarily use it to grow cannabis.

However, supporters of cannabis use took to the Mail's Facebook page to have their say on the issue, stating that if the drug was legalised, then there would be an opportunity for revenue to be created as those permitted to produce it would be subjected to taxation. Pro-cannabis supporters also argue that criminals would not have to take advantage of unsuspecting landlords in order to create an illegal setup, where the strength of what is being grown remains a mystery to unsuspecting users.

Adam Read wrote: "Allowing criminals a tax-free income with no regulation or age restrictions is not an intelligent approach to preventing harm - it creates it."

It is difficult to determine whether or not the legalisation of cannabis would lead to a significant reduction in the number of illegal set ups currently occupying hundreds of abandoned, derelict and rented properties throughout the UK.

While legalising the drug would bring with it close monitoring of what products are offered, it is highly unlikely that what is for sale would satisfy every potential customer. Some users will continue to seek the strongest type available to them in order to meet their needs - which it is unlikely would be available under government legislation. The only alternative would be an illegal variant.

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/Properties-remain-target-cannabis-legalisation/story-23002709-detail/story.html 26/09/2014