Police executed a warrant at an address in Heaton on Wednesday morning and arrested a man
A cannabis farm thought to be worth more than £60,000 has been uncovered by neighbourhood police in Newcastle – with a man put before the courts pleading guilty to producing it.
Neighbourhood officers in Heaton were alerted by residents that they suspected the Class B drug was being grown at an address in Stratford Road.
On Wednesday morning, officers executed a warrant at the property and discovered a large cannabis farm with an estimated 150 plants believed to be worth £61,000.
A man, aged 21, who was discovered hiding in a locked bedroom, was arrested on suspicion of producing a controlled drug.
He was subsequently charged and appeared before Newcastle Magistrates’ Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to the offence. He was remanded to appear before the city’s crown court at a later date.
Sergeant Gary Sharpe, of Northumbria Police, said: “This is a welcome result for our team and thanks in no small part to members of the public who provided vital information in helping us to locate this illicit operation.
“No one wants to live next door to a cannabis farm or to drug dealers and I would encourage our communities to continue working with us and sharing concerns with us so we can act.
“Money made from dealing cannabis if very often funnelled back into more serious offences which sadly contribute to slavery, people trafficking and violence, which is why we are always looking to tackle the impact it has on our communities.
“We hope that this case sends a message to those engaging in criminality in our communities that we are committed to stopping this illegal activity and bringing you to justice.”
Anyone who sees anything suspicious in their community is asked to contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of our website. In an emergency, or if a crime is taking place, always ring 999.
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