A man has been jailed for 18 months for cultivating cannabis at a house in East Yorkshire.
Sgt Pete Rogers, of Pocklington Police, has praised members of the public who reported suspicious activity after Khan Dang, 35, was arrested at the house on Princess Road, Market Weighton, on January 24 following a tip-off to police.
Officers found 411 plants on the upper floor and attic of the property, which they seized following the raid.
Typically 400 plants like those found at the house could fetch up to £200,000 in today’s market.
Thirteen officers raided the house, which is close to a school, and found equipment used to grow cannabis.
Sgt Rogers urged local residents to continue being their “eyes and ears” in the community.
He said incidents like these showed the public helped to provide officers with “that extra piece in the jigsaw” they often need.
He said: “This shows the value of letting the police know about suspicious incidents. On this occasion, we were alerted because people locally had noted the odd arrangements and then made sure they let us know about their concerns.
“The address was just a normal house in a normal street, but something wasn’t quite right.
“The premises didn’t seem to be occupied, people occasionally came to and from it, and it all seemed a bit odd.
“To firm up the evidence we were given, we arranged for the force helicopter to do a fly over the address to check for anything unusual. Their check revealed a very large heat source emanating from the roof. This either suggested there was indeed a possible cannabis factory, as large amounts of warmth and light are needed in the cultivation process, as with most plants.
“A warrant was obtained from a magistrate, and a team of officers attended the address to execute it.
“The building had been fully equipped for the cultivation of a very large number of cannabis plants, and there was the equipment to cultivate and water the plants readily to hand, not to mention a complex electrical wiring and ventilation system which criss-crossed the upper levels of the building.”
Dang appeared at Hull Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to the offence.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article