Huge Stoke-on-Trent cannabis farm busted as 2,877 plants seized

A huge cannabis farm was rumbled in Stoke-on-Trent after neighbours spotted suspicious activity. A total of 2,877 plants have been seized following the discovery in St Michaels Road, Chell.

Around 3.8 kilogrammes of dried herbal cannabis and growing equipment was also recovered during last Friday's bust at 10am. Residents had raised the alarm after noticing signs that the address was being used for illegal activities.

Western Power was also sent to the scene to make the electricity supply safe. Now Staffordshire Police are working to identify those responsible for the industrial-scale grow.

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Sergeant Chris Gifford, from Stoke North local policing team (LPT), said: “"We are appealing for information following the discovery of more than 2,000 cannabis plants inside a building in Stoke-on-Trent, as we continue to disrupt drugs operations in the area.

"All of the plants have been seized and we are continuing our work to identify those responsible and bring them to justice. We continue to carry out regular checks at the location.

“I’d encourage anyone who spots the signs of cannabis cultivation to report their concerns to us so we can take action and tackle the supply of illegal drugs in Staffordshire.”

The signs of cannabis cultivation include:

• A strong smell of cannabis coming from a building

• Blacked-out windows

• Large amounts of delivery vehicles shipping items to and from the address

• Constant buzz of ventilation

• Strong lighting which is constant day or night

• Lots of power cables – lights, dehumidifiers and heaters use a lot of energy, so growers will often hack electricity wires before the meter of the property to bypass electricity bills

Anyone with any information, particularly those with CCTV and doorbell footage from the area, can call Staffordshire Police on 101, quoting incident 106 of November 22. To report anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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