Officers raid cannabis growing operation in latest move to disrupt cultivations in East Staffordshire

On Saturday (13 February), officers from East Staffordshire were joined by their colleagues from Staffordshire Police Neighbourhoods Tasking Team in dismantling a cannabis growing operation in Burton.

The cultivation operation was found at a property on Woods Lane in Stapenhill and the raid took place before 9am.

A number of plants were seized along with equipment used for the cultivation of cannabis.

It follows on from other pro-active raids by officers in the East of the county to disrupt the production and sale of the drug.

Recently, officers from the East Staffordshire Neighbourhood Policing Team - along with colleagues from the force’s Special Constabulary and Response Teams - closed down three substantial cannabis growing operations in Burton and Uttoxeter.

The first was closed down on 4 February following a report from a member of the public of suspicious activity outside a commercial building in Burton town centre.

Officers attended the address and more than one thousand cannabis plants were seized along with associated equipment. Three males aged 20, 25 and 29 of no fixed address were arrested and have since been charged in relation to cannabis cultivation offences and remanded to appear at a later date.

Then on 5 February, officers raided an operation at a property on Rolleston Road in Burton which resulted in 465 plants being seized and a 24-year-old man of no fixed address arrested. He was then charged with producing a controlled drug of Class B – cannabis – and has been remanded in custody to face trial by jury at a later date.

On 6 February, officers identified a dwelling in a rural location near to Uttoxeter where a strong smell of cannabis was noticed. After making checks around a garage at a property near to The Blythe, a 42-year-old man from Hixon was located and arrested in relation to cannabis cultivation offences.

A search of the garage and its associated dwelling identified an established cannabis grow in both buildings with 175 plants being seized along with associated cultivation equipment. The man has since been released under investigation.

Sergeant Helen Kirkland of the East Staffordshire Neighbourhood Policing Team said: "The work over the last three days has shown a brilliant example of teamwork between the police and the community. As a result, substantial amounts of cannabis have been taken off our streets preventing the exploitation of vulnerable people and impacting against those who seek to profit from organised crime.

“I would like to thank the community for raising their concerns and urge anyone who has similar concerns to report these to the police."