Four arrested and cannabis farm seized following enquiries in Speke

Officers have arrested four people and seized a cannabis farm following enquiries in Speke yesterday, Sunday 20 September.

At around 4.30pm, enquiries in the Western Avenue area led to a cannabis farm being discovered at a property. The farm spanned three rooms with around 150 plants being grown, in addition to equipment, cash and other paraphernalia.

The following people were arrested on suspicion of cannabis cultivation; possession of a controlled Class A/B drugs and money laundering
A 46-year-old woman from Speke
A 53-year-old man from Speke
A 27-year-old man from Huyton
A 16-year-old girl from Speke

The 16-year-old girl has been released under investigation pending further enquiries. The other three remain in custody for questioning.

Matrix Inspector Colin Dyer said: “These arrests are the latest in a series we’ve made in the Speke and Garston areas, targeting those we suspect are involved in drug dealing.

“Our officers are committed to making the neighbourhood a safer place for residents by removing those who we believe are causing harm from the streets. It’s about giving the community a happier, better place to live.

“Cannabis farms and other drug activity can and does attract violent crime and the risk of fire and floods to those communities within which they are set up. Nobody wants to live near to such risk so be aware of the signs.

“This particular incident was the result of smart police work, but we also act on information from those who live and work locally, so if you have any information about suspected drug dealing and the storage of weapons or drugs, come forward directly or via Crimestoppers, which is completely independent of police.”

You can contact our social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook Merseyside Police CC. You can also call 101 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.

A video in which where Matt Brown from our Cannabis Dismantling Team explains how you can spot signs of cannabis being grown where you live can be found here - https://youtu.be/rc59i2dsZHM

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 sinister