Police have seized cannabis worth an estimated £500,000 from two properties in a Leicester neighbourhood. Officers found the plants in ‘cannabis farms’ in the Westcotes area of the city.
Announcing the raids online today (Thursday, January 16), officers from the Westcotes beat team said: “Following intelligence-led operations, we executed warrants at two properties, discovering sophisticated growing set-ups. These illegal cannabis farms are not just criminal operation – they pose serious dangers to the community.
“Tampered electrical supplies can lead to fires. While criminal activity linked to these grows increases the risk of violence and exploitation.”
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LeicestershireLive has contacted Leicestershire Police for further details of the operation, including the names of the streets and whether officers had made any arrests.
Some of the plants seized by police in the Westcotes area of Leicester
The Westcotes and West End area of the city has been a hot-spot for cannabis cultivation for a number of years. Previously, police have told LeicestershireLive the high number of rented properties and the turnover of residents has helped cannabis gangs operate under the radar.
Officers have urged property owners to make regular checks on tenants. Leicestershire Police and Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service have previously pointed out that illegal cannabis cultivation is a fire hazard.
Signs of cannabis cultivation include excessive fortification, silver duct tape hanging out of windows, blacked out windows, condensation on windows, peeling wallpaper or mildewed walls, a pungent smell, sudden fluctuations in electricity bills and electrical wiring having been tampered with. The people who maintain them can often be seen coming and going at odd times of day.
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