Just days after finding a drugs factory in Heysham, police have found a number of cannabis plants growing in farm buildings in Scorton after carrying out a drugs raid. The haul has an estimated street value of at least £300,000.
Officers executed a drugs warrant at the farm in Cleveley Bank Lane at around 12 noon on Monday, as a result of information received from the local community.
Inside one of the outbuildings a sizeable cannabis cultivation set-up was discovered, along with a number of growing cannabis plants.
PC Dave Kerfoot, who led the operation on Monday, said: “As is usual with these types of set-ups, the inside of the barn had been decked out with heating and ventilation systems and the electricity meter had been tampered with in order to disguise the amount of power that was actually being drained.
“It is conservatively estimated that the plant would produce in excess of £300,000 worth of cannabis each year.”
The cannabis plants were seized and sent away for forensic analysis along with samples of the cultivation equipment at the scene. The remainder of the cultivation equipment was seized under police powers and has been destroyed.
In addition to the search at the farm, further searches were conducted at two addresses in Preston, which resulted in the seizure of further cultivation equipment and cannabis plants.
Two men, aged 38 and 40, from the Preston area, were arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis and have been released on bail pending further inquiries.
PC Kerfoot continued: “I would like to reassure residents that if they have concerns about drugs in their community, we will act on them. If you have any information, no matter how small it may seem, contact your local police.”
• The neighbourhood policing team at Garstang can be contacted on 01995 607834 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.