Woman arrested and cannabis farm recovered in Newton-le-Willows

We have arrested a 27-year-old woman and recovered a large cannabis farm in Newton-le-Willows.

At around 9.30pm on Tuesday 22 June we received a report of suspicious behaviour at the Rams Head Hotel on Earle Road.

Officers attended, inspected the building and located a large cannabis farm of 556 plants in various stages of growth spread across 11 rooms.

A 27-year-old female from Newton-le-Willows was arrested on suspicion of cannabis production.

She has since been Released Under Investigation pending further enquiries.

The premises has been made safe by the Cannabis Dismantling Team.

Matt Brown, head of our Cannabis Dismantling Team, said: “This was a large-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, a female is in custody and a large amount of drugs have been prevented from being sold on our 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.”

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

Anyone with information on suspected drug production or criminal activity in their community can contact @MerPolCC, call 101 or come forward anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.