This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/5376698.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Police to raid cannabis factories | Police to raid cannabis factories |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The police have launched a major crackdown against indoor cannabis farms and the criminal gangs who run them. | The police have launched a major crackdown against indoor cannabis farms and the criminal gangs who run them. |
| Nineteen police forces across England and Wales are carrying out raids over the next two weeks on addresses where they suspect cannabis is being grown. | Nineteen police forces across England and Wales are carrying out raids over the next two weeks on addresses where they suspect cannabis is being grown. |
| The gangs can make £30,000 in three months from a farm of just 200 plants and regard the ventures as relatively low risk but highly lucrative. | The gangs can make £30,000 in three months from a farm of just 200 plants and regard the ventures as relatively low risk but highly lucrative. |
| In January, the government decided to keep cannabis as a Class C drug. | In January, the government decided to keep cannabis as a Class C drug. |
| The farms have started to appear in quiet residential streets, with figures showing that the amount of cannabis grown in Britain has risen from 10%, ten years ago, to 60% now. | The farms have started to appear in quiet residential streets, with figures showing that the amount of cannabis grown in Britain has risen from 10%, ten years ago, to 60% now. |
| Cannabis cultivation is an increasing problem which must be nipped in the bud Alan GibsonAcpo | |
| In the UK, the type of drug which is mainly grown is known as skunk, a strong variant of the drug which is potentially harmful. | In the UK, the type of drug which is mainly grown is known as skunk, a strong variant of the drug which is potentially harmful. |
| The gangs who run these farms often steal electricity using wiring set-ups which can carry a risk of causing fires. | The gangs who run these farms often steal electricity using wiring set-ups which can carry a risk of causing fires. |
| Police want to raise awareness on the issue so that the public keep an eye out for the "skunk factories". | Police want to raise awareness on the issue so that the public keep an eye out for the "skunk factories". |
| As well heavy usage of electricity to power the halogen lighting rigs used in cultivation, other signs of a possible factory are windows that are covered all the time, gardening equipment left outside or a pungent smell coming from the building. | |
| Police are already using thermal imaging cameras to spot the factories, which can be up to ten times hotter than a normal house because of the heat from the lights. | |
| TELLTALE SIGNS Huge electricity bills for halogen lightingPungent smellGardening tools left outsideWindows covered all the time | |
| Alan Gibson, Acpo's lead on cannabis cultivation, said: "Cannabis cultivation is an increasing problem which must be nipped in the bud. | |
| "Cannabis cultivation is seen by criminals as a low risk, high profit industry, but this operation will send out a clear message that cannabis production is a serious offence and that offenders will be brought to justice. | |
| "Not only is the money from cannabis cultivation ploughed back into serious crime, but the bypassing of the electricity needed to run the factories causes risk of fire and electrocution and they have already caused several devastating fires." |