Police recover plants from a cannabis farm in North Ormesby
Dangerous wiring and lit candles were left near to flammable materials
Neighbourhood officers from Middlesbrough recovered plants from a cannabis farm in a property in North Ormesby yesterday (Monday 15th March), where dangerous wiring and candles had been left lit with flammable materials nearby.
Officers attended the property on Coltman Street, North Ormesby, around midday where it appears that the occupants had been disturbed earlier in the day and had left the property.
A large pile of cannabis plants had been left in the property but officers believe that there would've been more which the offenders had taken with them when they left the address.
Police found electrics in the address which had been overloaded and bypassed with wires running throughout the house.
They also found six candles which were lit, with some left alight in the rooms where plants were growing and had been left near to plastic and flammable materials.
Neighbourhood Sergeant John Sproson said:
“The fact that this wiring had been left so dangerously and that candles had been left lit near to flammable materials just shows the complete disregard that these people have for our local communities in the neighbouring properties.
"There was a serious fire risk here, which could have turned out to be very serious, or even fatal, for those in nearby properties.
“These cannabis farms are set up by well organised criminals, and although some people think it is a waste of time for us to target them, the bigger picture is that these organised criminal groups make money from such activity and this goes on to fund other areas of serious and organised crime and exploitation, including modern slavery and trafficking.
"We won’t tolerate this in Cleveland and we will continue to tackle those who exploit others for their own criminal gain.”
Anyone who suspects that a cannabis farm is being grown in a property in their local neighbourhood, or anyone with information regarding drugs activity, is asked to contact Cleveland Police on 101.
Independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111, or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.