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Police raid cannabis factory in Southampton

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Published: 17/03/2009

Police in Southampton have today, Tuesday, March 17 raided a cannabis factory in Southampton, seizing drugs worth more than £40,000.

They were alerted when a strange smell was reported to be coming from a house in Holyrood Avenue, Portswood. Following an investigation police from the Portswood Safer Neighbourhoods team assisted by specialist drugs officers and others raided the house around 11am.

In the house they discovered, behind a locked inner door, that the property had been converted into a cannabis factory with all the bedrooms and some additional rooms being used to cultivate the plants under specialist growing conditions.

Vent pipes had been put in through walls and ceiling and the electricity system tampered with to supply the heat and light required to grow the plants. Engineers from Southern Electric were also at the scene to make the property safe.

More than 400 cannabis plants were discovered in various stages of growth inside. The crop would have had a street value of more than £42,000. Police believe the house was also being lived in but no one was arrested at the scene.

PC Leigh Walker from the Portswood Safer Neighbourhoods Team said: “Today’s raid will prevent these drugs being sold on the streets of our city and will send a clear message to those running cannabis factories that we won’t tolerate them and will shut them down.

“We would ask anyone who is suspicious that something similar may be happening in their area to contact their Safer Neighbourhoods Team on 0845 045 45 45 or they can remain anonymous by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

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