Police Dismantle Cannabis Factory in Bovingdon
Two people have been arrested after officers discovered a cannabis factory in Bovingdon near Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire.
On Monday morning (14 February), officers from the constabulary’s Operational Support Group (OSG) attended an address in Chipperfield Road, acting on intelligence regarding possible drug production.
Inside the property, police found a total of 851 cannabis plants – which have an estimated street value of over half a million pounds.
A 50-year-old man from Hemel Hempstead and a 41-year-old man from Dunstable were arrested at the scene and taken to police custody. They have since been released under investigation whilst enquiries continue.
In relation to this discovery, officers then conducted a Section 18 search of a property in Printers Way, Dunstable, where they seized over £15,000 cash.
PC Juliette Cohen, from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Operational Support Group, said: ‘We are pleased that we have prevented this substantial amount of class B drugs from getting onto the streets and causing misery to lives. Cannabis factories are often linked to the exploitation of society’s most vulnerable.
‘As well as being very unpleasant for neighbours and local residents, the factories also pose a significant fire hazard as they use large amounts of water and electricity, which are often syphoned from other people’s supplies.
‘We get a lot of our intelligence regarding drugs thanks to vigilant members of the public reporting suspicious activity in their neighbourhoods, such as the cultivation of drugs or drug dealing.
‘If you have any information about the supply of drugs please contact Hertfordshire Constabulary via the non-emergency number 101, report information online at herts.police.uk/report, or contact the independent crime fighting charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or submit details through their anonymous online form at crimestoppers-uk.org. No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded and you will not go to court.’
You can look out for the following signs of cannabis being grown in your community:
- A strong and sickly-sweet smell
- Lighting and ventilation equipment being taken into the house
- Windows always covered or blocked off
- People coming and going at all hours or neighbours you never see
- Strong and constant lighting at all hours
- High levels of condensation
- Constant buzz of ventilation equipment
- Lots of power cables around the property
Remember: if you believe a crime is in progress or someone is in danger, always dial 999.
To receive police messages about a range of topics including burglaries, scams and missing people in your local area, sign up to owl.co.uk/herts or download the ‘OWL crime alerts’ app from your app store.