Two people arrested after cannabis farm seized in Wirral

Two people were arrested after a cannabis farm was recovered in Wirral yesterday, Wednesday 1 February.

At around 4pm, a report was received that cannabis plants were being cultivated at an address in Storeton.

Officers attended a short time later and discovered around 80 cannabis plants growing in the shed and in the property.

The premises was made safe by our Cannabis Dismantling Team and our enquiries are ongoing.

A 24-year-old man from Storeton and a 25-year-old woman from Helsby were arrested on suspicion of the production of cannabis. Both suspects have been released on bail pending further enquiries.

An Inspector from Operation Remove said: “Cannabis farms in neighbourhoods, no matter what the size, pose a real risk to nearby residents who not only have to put up with the anti-social behaviour associated with this criminality, but also the risk of a fire being ignited from illegally extracting electricity. This shows the occupant has a total disregard of the safety of residents living close by.

“It also highlights the importance that we find cannabis farms as quickly as possible. Nobody wants to live close to a potential death-traps such as this, and it is often thanks to people living in the areas affected who tell us about their suspicions, and the proactivity of our officers, that we are able to take action.

“If you spot any signs that cannabis is being grown near where you live and work please let us know so that we can continue to take action. Any information helps residents and the work we do, so make us aware and we will investigate."

A video in which Matt Brown, head of our Cannabis Dismantling Team explains how you can spot signs of cannabis being grown near 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 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. Always call 999 if a crime is in progress.