Arrest made after police root out neighbouring cannabis grows

Police shut down two adjoining cannabis farms while investigating reports of a burglary.

Officers attended Fairholme Drive, Mansfield, after hearing a break-in had just taken place.

Two neighbouring homes were found to have been broken into around 5.35pm on Wednesday (28 August).  

The back door was kicked through at one of the properties, while the house next door had a smashed window.

Officers at that point entered both homes and quickly uncovered evidence they were being used to house cannabis grows.

Around 120 plants were seized from two rooms inside one of the properties.

The reception area and another bedroom inside the same house were empty but had been converted into growing rooms.

Moving next door, the attic in that property was also discovered to have been kitted out into a cannabis growing room.

While no plants were found growing in there, a significant amount of cannabis buds were in the loft, along with a vacuum pack of cannabis.

Electricity was found to have been bypassed inside the two houses.  

As the drugs and growing equipment were being dismantled, officers carried out inquiries to track down a vehicle linked to one of the addresses.

The car in question was located nearby shortly afterwards, as was a suspect – a 45-year-old man – who was arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis.

Sergeant James Brown, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Cannabis grows like the ones put out of action in this incident represent a serious problem to local communities.

“These drug cultivating operations often rely on the exploitation of vulnerable people to function properly, while they tend to have links to wider criminality too.

“On top of all of this, the modifications made to bypass electricity and power these grows represent a serious fire risk.

“The production of cannabis really isn’t a victimless crime and can negatively impact people’s lives, which is precisely why we work so hard to dismantle these types of grows.

“We would always urge anyone with any information about drug activity in their area to call the police on 101, so that we can take action.”