A cannabis farm worth more than £60,000 and with nearly 150 plans has been uncovered by police as one man has been arrested and charged.
Found by neighbourhood police teams in Heaton, Newcastle, the cannabis grow was found after police were alerted by residents.
They suspected that class B drugs were being grown at an address on Stratford Road.
On the morning of Wednesday, May 24, officers executed a search warrant at the address and discovered a large cannabis farm with an estimated 150 plans believed to be worth £61,000.
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A man, aged 21, who was discovered hiding in a locked bedroom, was arrested on suspicion of producing a controlled drug.
He was subsequently charged and appeared before Newcastle Magistrates’ Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to the offence. He was remanded to appear before the city’s crown court at a later date.
A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: “This is a welcome result for our team and thanks in no small part to members of the public who provided vital information in helping us to locate this illicit operation.
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“No one wants to live next door to a cannabis farm or to drug dealers and we would encourage our communities to continue working with us and sharing concerns with us so we can act.
“Money made from dealing cannabis if very often funnelled back into more serious offences which sadly contribute to slavery, people trafficking and violence, which is why we are always looking to tackle the impact it has on our communities.
“We hope that this case sends a message to those engaging in criminality in our communities that we are committed to stopping this illegal activity and bringing you to justice.”
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