Police discover cannabis farm worth £60,000 in South Shields
Police have raided a South Shields cannabis farm.
On Friday, March 6, Northumbria Police raided an address on Alice Street, in South Shields, following intelligence that there may have been a cannabis farm inside.
Once officers were inside the premises, they discovered 170 plants and growing equipment - which they say equated to a value of £60,000.
As they carried out inquiries at the address, police discovered that the electricity had been bypassed.
Police then worked with their partner agencies to ensure that the property could be made safe.
Northumbria Police has confirmed that on Saturday, March 7, the plants were removed and the cannabis farm was dismantled.
The property was empty at the time of the raid and inquiries are ongoing to identify anyone who is believed to be involved in the cannabis farm.
A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said: “It goes without saying that cannabis farms can have a negative ripple effect on the surrounding communities.
“From the day-to-day impacts of living next to this type of activity, to the risks of the electricity having been bypassed, all the way to the links to organised crime which we often see from bigger-scale farms.
“Nobody wants this type of illicit activity on their doorstep – and we would urge people to continue to report anything suspicious in their area so we can take swift action.”
The latest raid follows one in Jarrow a few weeks ago which saw Northumbria Police find 143 cannabis plants inside of a property.
The electricity of that property had also been bypassed, with officers once again having to ensure that the address was made safe for surrounding residents.
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