Man arrested after cannabis factory discovered in Southampton

A man's been arrested following the discovery of a cannabis factory in Southampton.

Officers found 106 plants inside an address on Oxford Avenue, all in various stages of growth.

A police spokesperson said:

"Our SSE colleagues have attended to ensure the property has been made safe.

"As part of our enquiries, we have arrested a 27-year-old man from Southampton on suspicion of cannabis cultivation. He has since been released from police custody but remains on conditional bail while our investigation continues.

"We know some people think it is just a bit of cannabis, but we want to stress that any production of drugs is linked to hidden harm.

"Large-scale operations are often run by organised crime gangs, who are likely to engage in very serious violence involving weapons, such as firearms.

"The electrical requirement to grow a large amount of plants is also dangerous and can be a huge fire risk, putting neighbouring properties, and lives, in danger.

"We encourage people to please continue to report suspicious behaviour and suspected drug dealing in your neighbourhood to police, as the information you provide helps us develop the bigger picture that leads us to take action and remove drugs from the streets."

Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.