The Met Police have asked us to pass on this information about cannabis farms.
Cannabis farms grow more than just drugs. Is there one near you?
Cannabis farms grow violence and organised crime
Cannabis isn’t the harmless drug people often think it is. Organised crime gangs that grow it can bring crime, violence and intimidation into a neighbourhood. Cannabis farms are not good for anyone.
You can tell if there is a problem
Gangs don’t want to draw attention to the houses or flats they use as farms. They’re often quiet and unassuming. They look just like your home at first glance, but there are a number of signs that there is a cannabis farm in your area.
How can you tell if there’s a cannabis farm near you?
- Strong, sickly smell given off by cannabis plants.
- Cannabis growing equipment being taken into a house. For example, lighting and ventilation equipment.
- Constantly covered or blocked-off windows. Cannabis factories often have constantly pulled curtains or black-out blinds.
- Unsociable coming and going at all hours. Lots of different people visiting the property might be a clue too.
- Strong and constant lighting day and night.
- High levels of heat and condensation. Cannabis factories often give off heat and the windows stay misted up.
- Constant buzz of ventilation. Listen out for a whirring sound as the growers try to create an ideal climate for the plants to grow.
- Lots of power cables. Gangs dig underground to lay cables that hook up to things like lamp posts so they don’t have to pay for the enormous amounts of electricity they use. They can easily bypass a £20,000 utility bill; money that will be pushed back to other honest customers to pay through energy price rises.
Is organised crime running a cannabis farm in your neighbourhood?
Call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use the secure online form.
Tell us where they are, not who you are.
Ferndale Area Residents Association (FARA) 