200-plant cannabis farm uncovered

4:27pm Wednesday 5th December 2007

A £100,000 cannabis factory' was uncovered after a tip off from an electricity company.

Police said the utility firm had gone to check on the terraced house in Whalley New Road, Bastwell, Blackburn, because of concerns that a lot of power was being used for a house that did not pay a bill.

Staff from the firm went to the house and were refused entry, according to a police spokesman.

Police were then alerted and, as they were already suspicious about the site following information from the public, obtained a warrant.

On Tuesday morning officers raided the house and found more than 200 cannabis plants and a "sophisticated" hydroponic heating system.

Police said that the drugs being harvested were worth roughly £500 per plant, taking the total value more than £100,000.

They also found that the electricity supply had been hacked into illegally.

Two Vietnamese people - a man aged 47 and a 37-year-old woman - were arrested on suspicion of the production of cannabis.

They were last night being questioned by detectives.

Sergeant Paul Goodall praised the electricity company and the public for helping uncover the cannabis factory.

He said: "The warrant was carried out after members of the public highlighted concerns to the police. This is a good example of how the community can help police to remove drugs from our streets, by keeping their eyes and ears open."

He urged other residents in the town with information about drug dealing in their community to contact the police's shared community office at Bangor Street Community Centre on 01254 353911 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 .

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