Cannabis Factories

Please give figures for each of the last ten years for:

1. 1a How many Cannabis growing operations have been detected?
   1b What was the estimated eventual street value of Cannabis seized?
2. 2a How many individuals have been arrested in connection with the cultivation of cannabis?
   2b What was their nationality?
   2c How many were in the UK illegally?
   2d How many were under 16?
3. 3a How many individuals have been charged in connection with the cultivation of cannabis?
   3b What was their nationality?
   3c How many were in the UK illegally?
   3d How many were under 16?
4. 4a How many detections involving Cannabis Resin were there?
   4b What was the estimated eventual street value of the drugs seized?

In accordance with section 1(1) (b) of the Act our response is provided below;

Question 1a

The information we have dates back to 2004 only.

2004 = 1 cannabis factory
2005 = 6 cannabis factories
2006 = 5 cannabis factories
2007 = 19 cannabis factories
2008 = 42 cannabis factories.

Question 1b

There is no information held.

Questions 2 a, b and d, and question 3 a, b and d

Please see the attached Excel sheet:

Please note the explanations & qualifiers by the researcher on the first page of the Excel sheet.

Arrests Charges and Detections

Question 2 c & 3 c

We do not hold this information.

Question 4 a

Cannabis Resin Please see the notes on the Excel sheet.

Question 4 b

There is no information held.

PLEASE NOTE: We have provided all the information that we are able to recover from our systems. You will note that there were no under 16 year old arrested.

The data relating to arrests goes back only to 2005. Prior to that date a different system was used for recording arrests which was primarily a paper based manual system. To search those paper records would it is estimated exceed the appropriate limit. The appropriate limit is defined in the Data Protection and Freedom of Information (Fees and Appropriate Limit) Regulations 2004, which is covered by statutory Instrument Number 3244 of 2004. Furthermore, Section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 allows a public authority to refuse to respond to a request for information where the cost of compliance would exceed the appropriate limit as defined by the above mentioned regulations.

Police forces in the United Kingdom are routinely required to provide crime statistics to government bodies and the recording criteria is set nationally. However, the systems used for recording these figures are not generic, nor are the procedures used locally in capturing the crime data. It should be noted that for these reasons this force's response to your questions should not be used for comparison purposes with any other response you may receive.