Police officer walking her beat in Reeth uncovers large cannabis farm

One of our neighbourhood police officers, PC Heather Campbell, was walking her beat in Reeth when a member of the public mentioned some suspicious activity at a nearby barn.

 

PC Campbell went to the barn, which was being rented out, with another officer from the Neighbourhood Policing Team.

 

Before they even entered the building they noticed a strong smell of cannabis and the sound of whirring fans. People in the community had also noticed a car coming and going frequently, at strange times of the day.

 

Inside, they found the barn had been sub-divided into 18 smaller compartments.

 

They opened up each compartment door to find more than 100 cannabis plants in total, which have been seized.

 

They then spotted the suspects’ vehicle nearby and arrested a man in his 40s and a man in his 20s, both from east Leeds.

 

Both men were taken into custody where they currently remain, and the scene has been secured for Crime Scene Investigators. A full investigation is under way. The vehicle was also seized.

 

In a separate incident, Sergeant Chris Ross of Hambleton Neighbourhood Policing Team found 160 cannabis plants in a rented house in Stokesley after concerns about suspicious activity were raised.

 

The plants have been seized and a criminal investigation is ongoing.

 

Inspector Lauren Wilkinson, of the Richmondshire and Hambleton Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “These excellent results really highlight the value of good, traditional community-based policing.

 

“By being part of the community and through our great relationship with the public in this part of Yorkshire, we can act on community concerns quickly and decisively.

 

“That’s allowed us to take a significant number of cannabis plants out of circulation and arrest two suspects, all as a result of foot patrols and chatting to the community when we’re out and about.”

 

Insp Wilkinson added: “We tend to think of drug production as an urban crime. In fact, North Yorkshire’s rural geography and big agricultural buildings can make it a target for those who grow large volumes of cannabis or produce other illegal substances.

 

“I’d urge anyone who has information about possible drug dealing to contact us, either by using the reporting page on our website or by calling 101. Results like this prove we can and do act on this information and we always appreciate people sharing their concerns.”

 

The signs of drug production include:

Remember, all of the above signs apply to rural buildings such as barns or industrial units, as well as houses or flats.