Tip off sees £1.4m drug farm raided
Detectives acting on a tip off from a member of the public uncovered a cannabis farm in Livingston with more than £1 million worth of drugs being grown.
Councillors on the East Livingston and East Calder Local Area Committee heard about the November raid from PC Ewan Hannay.
Constable Hannay also updated councillors on successful raids which have taken drugs and cash and weapons out of the hands of criminals.
In a report to the committee the police constable said: “Towards the end of November, intelligence was received from a member of the public in relation to a possible large-scale cultivation at an industrial unit within Livingston.
“Extensive enquiries were undertaken by Proactive CID resulting in a warrant being issued to be executed at the address. Within the unit a large-scale cannabis cultivation was detected with an approximate street value of £1.4 million.
“There is a positive line of enquiry and further investigation is being conducted to trace the suspects responsible.”
It added: “Whilst on high visibility mobile patrol, officers observed suspicious activity in relation to a vehicle and its occupants. Further investigation resulted in the seizure of approximately £40,000 in cash from the vehicle, both occupants (were) reported for MDA [Misuse of Drugs Act] offences.”
PC Hannay was delivering the quarterly police report for the ward to the committee, covering the three months to New Year’s Eve in 2022.
The report also outlined the work of local officers involved in tackling organised crime linked to drug supply across West Lothian.
It added: “During Quarter three West Lothian Proactive Crime Team in respect to the Blackburn Initiative connected to drug supply within the Blackburn area have carried out a number of hits and they have seized 11 weapons, total value of drugs recovered £52,600 and total value of cash recovered £28,927.89.
“West Lothian Proactive Crime Team continue to develop and carry out enforcement on members of organised crime groups based in West Lothian (Operation Wingman) that are in involved in the supply of controlled drugs.
“By the end of Quarter 3, Op Wingman removed over £889,669.00 worth of drugs from West Lothian streets, along with nearly £136,195.00 in cash along with numerous items linked to proceeds of crime.”