Cannabis plants worth £20,000 found in Scarborough

A 'green-fingered' occupant has been caught attending to cannabis plants estimated to be £20,000 worth of drugs.
20,000 worth of cannabis was found in a Scarborough property20,000 worth of cannabis was found in a Scarborough property
20,000 worth of cannabis was found in a Scarborough property

The 28-year-old man, from Scarborough, was arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis. He has been released under investigation as enquiries continue.

Acting on information received from the public Scarborough's Community Impact Team attended an address on Southlands Grove, Newby, yesterday afternoon (Thursday March 8). On entering an upstairs room, they found a man with a watering can and hose pipe, as well as fans, lighting equipment, and about 20 cannabis plants.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A spokesperson for Scarborough Police posted on Facebook yesterday: "Unfortunately for the occupant, he was caught taking care of his plants on our arrival. His ‘green fingers’ remain in custody where an evening of questioning awaits.

"Drug dealing and the violence that goes hand in hand with it has a corrosive effect on our communities and Scarborough Police will show zero tolerance to the supply and distribution of controlled drugs in our town."

The amount of cannabis found is estimated to be £20,000 worth of drugs which has now been prevented from entering the streets.

The plants and growing equipment have been seized for forensic examination.A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: "People should be alert to the signs of cannabis cultivation in their area, and report any suspicions they have to the police – we will take action."If you prefer to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers."The signs to look out for include:

A strong and sickly sweet smell.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Equipment being taken into a house - for example, lighting and ventilation equipment.

Constantly covered or blocked-off windows. Cannabis factories often have constantly-closed curtains, black-out blinds or foil coverings.

Unsociable coming and going at all hours or neighbours you never see.

Strong and constant lighting day and night.

High levels of heat and condensation. Cannabis factories often give off heat and the windows stay misted up.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Constant buzz of ventilation. Listen out for a whirring sound as the growers try to create an ideal climate for the plants to grow.

Lots of power cables. Gangs dig underground to lay cables that hook up to things like lamp posts so they don’t have to pay for the enormous amounts of electricity they use. They can easily bypass a £20,000 utility bill.

If you are a landlord or letting agent, be aware of potential tenants who pay a large amount of rent in advance and in cash, go out of their way to prevent you visiting the premises, or offer to improve exterior fortifications.

To report any suspicions you have, call North Yorkshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.