Warrington man jailed following cannabis farm closure

Edison Alzeneli, 20, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday 22 July where he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to the production of class B drugs (cannabis) and using electricity without authority.

The court heard that on Saturday 22 June, officers from Warrington Local Policing Unit conducted a warrant at an address on Winwick Street.

The ground floor of the property had previously been used as a fish and chip shop but was no longer in use and remained locked. Through one of the locked doors that led up to the first floor, officers found a propagator in the kitchen containing 117 cannabis plants inside.

On the second floor, officers found 42 bags of soil and a further 204 cannabis plants at various stages of growth spread across two rooms that had been converted to grow cannabis plants on an industrial scale. Officers also found Alzeneli in the property's living area and swiftly arrested him.

Alzeneli, of no fixed address but of Warrington, was subsequently charged with the production of class B drugs (cannabis) and using electricity without authority.

Police Constable Jen Harrison, of the Northern Problem Solving Team, said:

“This is a great result which has enabled us to remove a significant quantity of cannabis from Warrington's streets.

“This address had been converted into a sophisticated cannabis farm, with specialist lighting and ventilation systems to maximise the amount of class B drugs being cultivated inside. In total, we believe that the building contained well over 300 cannabis plants at various stages of growth, which will all now be destroyed.

"We would urge anyone who has any concerns regarding the production or supply of illegal substances to contact Cheshire Police on 101 or visit www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us."

There are a number signs that could indicate that a property is being used as a cannabis farm, including:

•  A strong and sickly sweet smell
• Equipment to grow cannabis being taken into a property, such as lighting and ventilation equipment
• Constantly covered or blocked-off windows – cannabis farms often have constantly closed curtains, black-out blinds or foil coverings
• People coming and going at all hours or neighbours you never see
• Strong and constant lighting day and night
• High levels of heat and condensation – cannabis farms often give off heat and the windows stay misted up
• A constant buzz of ventilation – listen out for a whirring sound as the growers try to create an ideal climate for cannabis plants to grow
• Lots of power cables – offenders often dig underground to lay cables that hook up to things like lamp posts so they do not have to pay for the enormous amounts of electricity they use.