Man arrested after suspected 'cannabis farm' found in Leamington

Officers forced entry to a property on Brunswick Street at around 3pm on Friday October 16 and conducted a search of the address.

The property search by police resulted in the seizure of 239 cannabis plants.

Police also arrested a 55-year-old man at the scene on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis. He has been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

This discovery comes following an investigation into another grow in the town on St David's Close last month in which two men aged 36 and 46 were arrested and released under investigation.

The Leamington Courier reported the last cannabis seizure and the subsequent arrests last month.

See the report here: https://www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk/news/crime/police-say-drug-dealing-leamington-has-taken-big-hit-after-officers-find-more-cannabis-factories-2987215Leamington’s Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) has been running Operation Switch to identify and tackle drug dealing in and around the town.

Officers would continue to encourage anyone with any concerns about the supply and use of illegal drugs in their community to please report it.

Information can be given via www.warwickshire.police.uk, 101 or via Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Do you know how to spot the signs of cannabis being grown at a property?

Strong, sickly smells

It may sound obvious, but most cannabis grows are discovered by passers-by or keen-nosed residents catching a whiff of the drug’s familiar smell. A cannabis crop takes about three months to grow and in the final weeks, the plants stink. Crimestoppers has previously sent out cannabis-farm scratch-and-sniff cards to more than 200,000 homes in the UK to help home-owners tell if they live close to a budding farm.

Windows are constantly covered

Do your neighbours have the curtains drawn all day long? It might make it look like the house is unoccupied, but having windows blocked up with panelling or sheeting would suggest there’s something they don’t want you to see. This could be a sign that there are many budding plants inside soaking up bright artificial light.

Excessive security

Growers live in constant fear that their home grown farms will be discovered by police, landlords or rival drug dealers. If there are padlocks on the gates, massive grilles and double and triple locks on the doors, that should raise eyebrows – especially if the street is relatively safe. On bigger, high value farms, portcullises, bars on the windows and even CCTV cameras can be evident.

High levels of condensation

Are the windows always misted up? From the inside, landlords might notice damp on the walls or peeling wallpaper, while from the outside a neighbour might spot condensation on the windows, even when it’s not the depths of winter. The condensation may well be due to inside having been turned into a makeshift greenhouse. For the best plant growth, cannabis needs an atmosphere similar to a greenhouse, and this can cause a lot of condensation.

Lots of visitors - and at unsociable hours

Frequent and varied visitors to a property, often at unusual times, could mean you just have a popular neighbour with a big family. But if unfamiliar faces are turning up next door day and night, it might be a sign that there’s something more sinister going on. One thing to watch for is lots of new faces coming knocking.

Rocketing electricity bills

The lights, dehumidifiers, hydroponic systems and heaters take a lot of electricity. Many farms have been found where drugs gangs have hacked into the electricity wires before the meter to that individual house, and so bypassed having to pay for the electricity. If you are a landlord who gets a copy of the bill, has it dropped or gone up suddenly? If so, your neighbourhood growers could have tapped into your supply and are charging you to power their drug operation. You should contact your supplier and the police immediately.

What happens when it snows?

Cannabis factories produce a lot of heat, which can cause tell-tale signs, especially in winter. When it snows, the roofs of cannabis farms can be obvious as the snow melts, meaning it is probably the only house on the street without a snow-covered roof.

Bright lights day and night

It’s strange for anyone to need unusually bright lights on 24 hours a day. Cannabis needs light to grow, so watch out for homes with bright lighting at all times of the day and night. Lights will often be on a timer switch, coming on in the middle of the night.

Constant buzz of ventilation

If you can hear the constant noise of a fan, at all times of the day or night, chances are it could be acting as ventilation for the cannabis grow.