'Cannabis farm worth £40,000' dismantled in York

Police in York have dismantled a "£40,000 cannabis farm".

Intelligence led officers to the "grow" at a house in Sixth Avenue, where they executed a warrant on 23 March.

Inside they say they found a "highly-professional and sophisticated" set-up that they believe had been used by an organised crime gang to produce several crops of cannabis over time.

Officers said the house’s electricity supply had been diverted underground to by-pass the meter.

A man believed to be acting as part of an organised crime group based in the Western Balkan region of Europe, was arrested at the scene and taken into custody, said police.

He has since been charged with cannabis production and is due to appear in court.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Simpson of North Yorkshire Police, said: "Cannabis production is extremely harmful to our communities and its production is often used to fund criminal gangs who are involved in serious organised crime such as human trafficking, sexual exploitation and the distribution of class A drugs such as cocaine and heroin.

“It won’t be tolerated and we urge members of our communities to report any suspicious activity in their neighbourhood.

"We also urge landlords to be extra cautious when they rent out properties. The damage caused to properties by grows can be extensive and very expensive to repair.”

Officers have issued some advice to people on what signs to look out for including:

• Windows covered at all times

• Excessive security measures

• Lots of condensation

• Unusual comings and goings - frequent visitors at unsociable hours. Or resident only visiting address occasionally – once or twice a week

• Plant growing equipment going in and out of properties, such as soil/fertiliser and plant waste

• Lot of cables and wiring

• Bright lights day and night

• Buzz of fans

• A pungent smell

• Vulnerable adults – sometimes vulnerable and trafficked people are forced to tend to cannabis farms

• Snowless roof when everyone else’s is covered – cannabis farms create a lot of heat

Officers have also issued advice to landlords:

• Be wary of anyone who offers to pay months’ worth of rent up front

• Excessive electricity bills - have the electricity bills suddenly spiked or dropped?

• Pay regular maintenance visits to the property and be suspicious if the tenant is never there or won’t let you in – call the police if you feel threatened

Anyone with information should call 101 or contact Crimestoppers, which is an anonymous service, on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org

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