Cannabis farm worth more than £500,000 found following warrants in Birkenhead

We have seized a cannabis farm worth more than £500,000 following warrants carried out in Birkenhead yesterday, Monday 3 June.

At around 11am, officers carried out warrants at two addresses in Craven Street and located a cannabis farm comprising 140 plants at various stages of growth, with an estimated potential annual yield of £560,000. The electric meter was also bridged at the location.

A 28-year-old man from Birkenhead was arrested on suspicion of cannabis cultivation. He has been released under investigation pending further enquiries.

Cannabis and white powder was also located at a second address in Craven Street. Enquiries are ongoing to locate all of those involved.

Wirral Targeted Policing Sergeant Andy Lloyd said: "This is a significant find which will remove a massive fire and flood risk for the local community. Bridging electricity is an accident waiting to happen and we will act on all information to ensure they are dismantled quickly and safely.

"Cannabis farms are also an attractor for violent crime and put simply, no law-abiding person wants to live near to a death-trap or a magnet for violence. It is useful to recognise some of the signs cannabis is being grown in your community, so make yourselves familiar, voice your concerns and we will 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 sinister

Anyone with information on suspected cannabis farms in their area is asked to contact the social media desk @MerPolCC, call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111.