Cannabis farms - Is there one next door to you?

Cannabis farms - Is there one next door to you?

Cannabis farms is the term used to refer to commercial or residential premises which are used to grow cannabis. They range in size from just part of a room, a whole house, or a commercial property such as a warehouse. Premises used as cannabis farms will have been adapted to the extent that the normal usage of the premises or part of the premises will not be possible.

Cannabis is not only a controlled Class B drug, but its cultivation proposes a variety of criminal concerns, alongside significant fire and safety risks.

We want to be very clear that we do not welcome cannabis cultivation within Staffordshire. Often, grows are linked with more complex and serious crimes, involving organised gangs intent on exploiting vulnerable people under modern slavery offences. Organised crime groups can exploit people in a variety of ways, such as the act of cuckooing, where gangs will take-over a vulnerable person’s property to use it as a base of operations.

Both the public and our partners play an important role in providing intelligence around cannabis cultivation and we continue to appeal for information from landlords, letting agents and the wider public to report any suspicious activity.

Cannabis cultivation clues

There are certain clues that your neighbour could be growing cannabis.

These are the signs to look out for:

There’s a pungent smell
You may be able to smell the drug’s familiar odour

High levels of condensation on the windows, even in the warmer months
The condensation may well be due to the inside having been turned into a makeshift greenhouse.

Constantly covered or blacked-out windows
It might make it look like the house is unoccupied, but blacked out windows could well mean inside is really bright and contains lighting equipment.

A high number of deliveries or large items being taken in or out
Thousands of pounds worth of equipment is often needed for large-scale grows.

A constant buzz of ventilation
If you can hear the constant noise of a fan, at all times of the day or night, chances are it could be acting as ventilation for the cannabis grow.

Strong, constant lighting day and night
Cannabis needs light to grow, so watch out for homes with bright lighting at all times of the day and night. Lights will often be on a timer switch, coming on in the middle of the night.

Lots of power cables
The lights, dehumidifiers and heaters take a lot of electricity. Growers will often hack into the electricity wires before the meter to that individual house, and so bypass having to pay for the electricity.

Lack of snow on the roof
Cannabis factories produce a lot of heat, which can cause tell-tales signs, especially in winter. When it snows, the roofs of cannabis farms can be obvious as the snow melts, meaning it is probably the only house on the street without a snow-covered roof.

Unsociable comings and goings
Lots of unfamiliar faces turning up at the house at any time of the day and night could signal that cannabis is being grown at the property

To report a possible cannabis grow, please reply to this Smart Alert and a Local Officer will be in contact shortly.

Reply to this message

Message Sent By
Adam Hetherington
(Staffordshire Police, PCSO, Blurton, Newstead, Heron Cross, Wedgwood )