More than 450 cannabis plants seized

Police have seized over 450 cannabis plants in Meir and Newcastle on Monday (28 February).

Officers attended an industrial premises off Audley Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, at around 6.40pm on Monday (28 February) following reports of suspicious activity.

Officers attended and discovered a total of 250 plants in the business property.

The plants were seized, electrics isolated and property secured.

Earlier on same day, police were also called to a residential property on Weston Road, Meir, at around 2.30pm following reports of suspicious activity.

Officers attended and found a total of 240 plants at the property.

The plants were seized and property was secured.

A 32-year-old man, from Stoke-on-Trent, was arrested on suspicion of producing a controlled drug of class B – cannabis and remains in police custody.

It comes as, through Operation Levidrome, the force is driving awareness and enforcement activity around cannabis cultivations to highlight the criminal activity often associated with cannabis farming.

Detective Superintendent Tom Chisholm said: “Cannabis is a controlled class B drug and its cultivation is often linked to more serious and complex crime.

“Offenders are likely to be part of an organised crime network and often they are intent on exploiting vulnerable people to ‘tend to’ or ‘cultivate’ the grows.”

Inquiries are continuing into the Meir and Newcastle discoveries and anyone with information is asked to contact Staffordshire Police on Facebook, Twitter, or call 101, quoting incident number 300 of 28 February.

Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.