Two arrested and more than 1,600 cannabis plants seized in St Helens

We have arrested two males and seized an industrial cannabis farm following enquiries in St Helens in the early hours of Monday morning, 19 October.

At around 2am, officers were called to the old milk factory on Duncan Street to reports of a suspected cannabis farm.

A warrant was carried out and a total of 1,694 plants were seized, along with substantial equipment, including 475 lighting units and transformers.

An 18-year-old male of no fixed abode and a 17-year-old male from Gillingham were arrested on suspicion of cannabis production, and taken to custody. Both have now been released on bail.

The premises was made safe and enquiries continue.

Matt Brown, head of our Cannabis Dismantling Team, said: “This is a sophisticated, industrial-scale cannabis farm, with the potential to produce large amounts of the drug for wider distribution. The risks of doing so, for residents and businesses nearby, are equally large, with fire, flood and violent crime often the result. Thanks to the report received, two males are in custody and a large amount of drugs prevented from being sold on the streets.

“We take action on all information received about drug production, supply and storage so keep telling us what you know and we’ll keep the streets safer from the harm they cause. Be aware of some of the signs of cannabis growth, and we’ll do the rest.”

If you have any information about suspected drug production in your area, please contact @MerPolCC, 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Always call 999 if a crime is in progress.

Some of the signs that cannabis is being grown are:

• Strange smells and sounds
• Frequent and varied visitors to a property, often at unusual times
• Gardening equipment being taken into a property, such as plant pots, fertiliser, fans and industrial lighting
• Windows are sealed and covered or the curtains are permanently closed
• Heat from an adjoining property
• Birds gathering on a roof in cold weather
• Individually these activities may seem commonplace, however, together may indicate something more suspicious