A CANNABIS farm in Rugby town centre where over 1,000 plants were growing has been raided by police.
Detectives from Rugby Proactive CID raided a building in North Street at around 1.30pm yesterday (Wednesday March 8) and found more than 1,100 plants in various stages of growth across four floors.
The raid was carried out in response to reports of a strong smell of cannabis coming from the building.
Two suspects were arrested in the building. A number of others fled, with five more being arrested nearby.
The power company attended to ensure the site and surrounding buildings were safe.
Another 50 plants were seized at an address in Jubilee Street which was linked to the North Street site.
Seven men were arrested on suspicion of cannabis production offences, all of whom remain in custody.
Det Cons Chris Batchelder from Rugby Proactive CID said: “We know many people may say this is just a bit of ‘harmless cannabis’, but it is important to highlight the hidden harms linked to production of drugs.
“Large scale operations such as this are often run by organised crime gangs who are also involved in serious violence, often involving weapons.
“These gangs also exploit vulnerable people who have often been illegally trafficked into the country to run their operations for them, so they don’t have to get their hands dirty.
“Whoever was responsible for this large grow is significantly out of pocket today and that is to be welcomed.
“The electricity needed to grow so many plants also poses a huge fire risk that can put neighbouring properties at risk.
“I encourage people to continue to report concerns around the production of cannabis and drug dealing in their neighbourhood; the information you provide helps us to develop a bigger picture that leads to action and the removal of drugs from the streets.”
Signs of a cannabis grow include covered-up windows, excessive security measures, bright lights throughout the day and night, and the buzz of ventilation fans.
Visit https://tinyurl.com/4tkpb387 for more information on how to spot the signs of a cannabis grow.
Visit www.warwickshire.police.uk/report or call 101 to report suspicious activity, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
