Police raid found £1m drugs haul
DUO JAILED FOR CANNABIS CROP PRODUCTION
POLICE body-cam footage captured the dramatic moment officers raided a bungalow in Mapperley and found a largescale “factory” with around £1m-worth of cannabis inside.
Officers found more than 1,400 plants within the property in Lucknow Drive, which they raided on September 10.
The plants were crammed into several rooms across the detached and secluded bungalow.
The plants were taken away and destroyed, and an array of sophisticated growing equipment was put beyond use.
CS spray, a telescopic baton and cash were also seized.
Jevgenij Babkov, 24, and Noyus Kastenas, 20, were both arrested.
When they were interviewed by officers they admitted tending to the plants but claimed they had been employed by others to live and work at the address.
Both men later admitted charges of cannabis production and appeared for sentence at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, November 12.
Babkov, formerly of Lucknow Drive, was jailed for one year and 10 months.
Kastenas, also formerly of Lucknow Drive, was jailed for one year and six months.
Residents of the quiet, leafy street said they were surprised at the time.
PC Brian Dacunha, who led the investigation, said: “Acting on local intelligence we carried out a warrant at a large, detached bungalow.
“The building had been turned into a very large, sophisticated and profitable drugs factory, with mature cannabis plants in multiple rooms in the house.
“As is the case with most similar cannabis grows, the electrics in the property had been bypassed and left in a very hazardous state.”
Inspector Karl Thomas, local area commander for Nottinghamshire Police, added: “Clamping down on drugrelated crime is a top priority for the local policing team.
“I am aware, however, that some people are still of the view that this ‘is only a bit of weed’ and that we should be focusing on different issues.
“But in reality, these kind of large-scale grows are very often linked to ruthless organised criminal gangs from home and abroad whose members won’t think twice about using extreme acts of violence to protect their investment from other equally ruthless criminals.”