Police swoop on £22k drugs farm
A suspected drug dealer has been arrested after police found a cannabis farm worth about £200,000 during an early morning raid.
Police were called to an addresson Railway Terrace North in New Herrington shortly after 4am on Monday, January 18, after a member of the public reported they thought a burglary was taking place.
The eagle-eyed resident spotted a group of men attempting to barge their way into the property, but the group left a short time later emptyhanded.
That prompted police to carry out a search of the area, and upon entering the address in question, they found a man fast asleep on the settee.
But his nightmares turned into reality when he realised officers had found a cannabis farm inside the address worth an estimated £200,000.
More than 200 plants at various stages of growth were seized and it transpired that the electricity had also been by-passed.
A 51-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of producing a Class B drug and he remains in police custody at
this time.
Sergeant Steve Passey, of Northumbria Police, said: “It’s safe to say the suspect was a little surprised when he was awoken by our officers and swiftly escorted into a custody cell.
“But this was an important discovery of a drugs farm worth a significant amount of money.
"With plants found growing in various rooms of the property.
“Not only was this an illicit operation, but it was a highly dangerous one too.
"Theset-upwasanamateur one and could so easily have resulted in a fire that threatened the lives of not only the occupants, but families living in
neighbouring properties too.
“Nobody wants to live next to a potential death trap, and that’ s why it’ s absolutely crucial that people report this kind of criminality to us.
“Thankfully, the swift actions of the member of the public who saw something suspicious and rightly reported it has helped us dismantle this farm and keep the drugs out of the hands of the most vulnerable in our communities.”
Anyone who suspects drug related criminality in their area is asked to contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of the Northumbria Police website or by calling 101.
Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.