Cannabis plants worth hundreds of thousands of pounds have been seized in the East of England over the past year.
One senior police officer in the region said he wanted to debunk the “narrative” that cannabis was “harmless”.
Data published in January showed more than 500,000 cannabis plants were discovered in England and Wales in 2022-23.
Police have released a checklist of the tell-tale signs a cannabis farm is being grown.
Cannabis farm signs
- Curtains and windows closed and drawn, even in hot weather
- Strange comings and goings from the address with vehicles attending late at night
- Smells coming from the address that could indicate cannabis is being grown
- Light coming from roof spaces or leaking through the building in odd places
- Sounds of fans constantly running in the address
- Cables running to and from lampposts nearby
- Rubbish bags full of garden-related waste
- Occupants and visitors rarely seen, except at odd hours of the day
- Condensation on the windows
- Large amounts of fertiliser taken to the address at odd times
Richard Lewis, the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s national lead on drugs, said the rise in the number of cannabis farms could be down to the decline of many high streets, which he said created an opportunity for criminals.
“Commercial properties are attractive to organised crime groups for a whole host of reasons,” said Mr Lewis, who is chief constable of Dafyd-Powys.
“Large-scale shops have closed down and therefore the footprint to produce cannabis on a larger scale becomes available.”
Police forces across the East of England have made a concerted effort in recent years to crack down on cannabis growing sites.
Between February and October, Suffolk and Norfolk police officers seized cannabis valued at over £8m and made 160 arrests as part of Operation Orbit.
More recently, Jani Murati, 37, was jailed for 10 months after 158 cannabis plants and a large sum of cash were found at an address in Ann Beaumont Way, in Hadleigh, Suffolk.
Serious crime connections
According to police, those responsible for growing and dealing Class A drugs are also often connected to other serious crimes, including sexual exploitation.
In January, before Operation Orbit was launched, a cannabis factory was found in an abandoned building on Arcade Street in Ipswich town centre.
Up to 600 plants were seized from the derelict site behind the Town Hall and Corn Exchange that was formerly home to Distinction nightclub, and prior to that Sound Academy.
The six members of the drugs gang behind it were jailed in July having been arrested and then charged with cannabis cultivation. The arrests and seizures have been connected to an array of offences, from Class A drug supply to industrial scale cannabis farms and money laundering.
Sgt Dave Logan, from the Ipswich-based South Sentinel Team, said: “We have been able to increase the amount of work we do, which has led to more arrests, drugs and cash seizures and most importantly, more individuals being remanded to prison.
“I am always mindful we target all those responsible within this illicit trade. From the higher crime group members who profit most and inflict the most suffering through violence and debt bondage, to the on the street dealers and the end users, who selfishly drive on Suffolk roads whilst under the influence of drugs.”
In November, Karolis Ceponis, 31, who was found hiding under loft insulation in a house on Mountbatten Way, Peterborough, admitted producing cannabis. Officers found 84 plants, with a street value of up to £70,560, during the raid.
In Cambridgeshire, a cannabis farm packed with plants believed to be worth more than £700,000 was found by police following a tip-off.
Officers discovered the drugs factory spread across three rooms at a terraced house at Judson Court, Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, on 1 November.
In Essex, meanwhile, plants with an estimated street value of £250,000 were uncovered at the Foundry industrial estate in Hockley, near Southend.
More than 250 plants and a similar number of seedlings were seized.
‘Blight on the area’
In Bedfordshire, cannabis factories saw organised crime groups profit from in excess of £50m a year.
According to Bedfordshire Police, 3,288 cannabis plants and 66kg of processed cannabis had been seized since the start of the financial year.
Since January there had been 42 arrests in relation to the cultivation and production of cannabis, which resulted in 28 charges.
Det Ch Sup Duncan Young said: “We often come up against the narrative that cannabis is ‘harmless’, but it’s important we expose what sits behind the cultivation and selling of all illegal drugs.
“Homes of vulnerable people are overtaken; this is an exploitative practice known as cuckooing.
“Young people are groomed and used to sell these drugs across Bedfordshire, this is county lines exploitation.
“Those young people’s education, home life and future prospects are negatively impacted. This is harm, and this is caused by cannabis and other illegal drugs.
“Sadly, it doesn’t end there. Drugs are at the root of a huge percentage of the anti-social behaviour and violence we experience in our county.
“Each cannabis factory we shut down creates a lifeline for an exploited individual. By reporting what you know, see and hear about drug activity in your area, we know where and when to strike next.”
