Man arrested following cannabis farm discovered in Walton

A man was arrested after a cannabis farm was recovered in Walton yesterday, Wednesday 1 November.

At around 3.35pm officers attended a property which had a strong smell of cannabis emanating from it in Walton Village.

They discovered around 170 cannabis plants in various stages of growth in three rooms along with growing equipment.

The electric meter had caught fire which was extinguished by Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service. 

Scottish Power attended and dug the area to disconnect the main incoming supply of electricity and made the electrics safe.

A 20-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis and illegal entry into the UK. He is still in police custody.

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

Matt Brown, who leads the Cannabis Dismantling Team (CDT), said: "This incident highlights the dangers posed by cannabis farms and what happens when criminals tinker with the wiring and overload plugs. It is vital that we find cannabis farms as quickly as possible.
 
“Thankfully, no one sustained any injuries from the fire, and thanks to the efforts of firefighters who attended the fire didn’t spread to neighbouring properties.”

He added: "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.
 
"The organised crime gangs who run these farms care far more about making ill-gotten gains than the risks they pose to neighbouring properties.” 

“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.