Cannabis plants worth over £100m seized on Merseyside during 2019

Cannabis plants with an estimated annual yield of over £100 million have been seized from across Merseyside during the past 12 months.


In addition cropped cannabis, known as green vegetable matter (GVM) and valued at over £370,000, and over £520,000 worth of electrical items were seized and destroyed from cannabis farms.

It is estimated over £4.1m was also saved by electricity companies due to the disconnection of abstracted electricity.

The haul included one of the largest ever cannabis farms on Merseyside which was discovered in St Helens, containing 2,885 plants, with an estimated annual yield in the region of £10 million.

Two men were charged with production of cannabis and will stand trial next year.

Cannabis dismantling team manager Matt Brown, said:

Criminal groups involved in the growing of cannabis are often involved in other serious organised crime however with the help of our communities, we can stop these groups, who are only interested in making money, from turning houses into potential death traps.Nobody wants to live or work next door to these places and we would ask that if you believe someone is using a property for this purpose, please tell us so we can take positive action and find those responsible for setting them up.– MATT BROWN, MERSEYSIDE POLICE

Some of the signs that cannabis is being grown are:

• Strange smells and sounds
• Frequent and varied visitors to a property, often at unusual times
• Gardening equipment being taken into a property, such as plant pots, fertiliser, fans and industrial lighting
• Windows are sealed and covered or the curtains are permanently closed
• Heat from an adjoining property
• Birds gathering on a roof in cold weather
• Individually these activities may seem commonplace, however, together may indicate something more sinister

Matt Brown also explains how you can spot signs of cannabis being grown where you live can be found here.

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