A WARNING has been issued to retailers of ‘herbal highs’ and cannabis growing equipment after the conclusion of a Lancashire-wide drugs probe.

Two shopkeepers from East Lancashire, who sold seeds and equipment for the growing of herbal cannabis in Blackburn and Burnley, have been given suspended prison sentences at Preston Crown Court.

David Greenhall, 44, of Eastcott Close, Blackburn, who ran New Age Hydroponics in Lower Darwen, was the latest to be dealt with by the authorities.

He admitted a charge of incitement to produce cannabis and was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Greenhall was also ordered to pay £1,200 in court costs and forfeit £25,300 in criminal gains.Previously Andrea Robinson, 43, from Wesley Terrace, Bacup, had pleaded guilty to the same charge at Preston.

She ran Bopp.Com, Hall Street, Burnley, and was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, with £794 costs.

Police from the county’s serious and organised crime unit raided several locations across the county, including New Age, Bopp.com and outlets in Blackpool, Preston and Walton-le-Dale.

Suspended sentences have also been handed out to Blackpool and Preston businessmen, on the same charges.

Inspector Steve Stebbings, of the serious crime unit, said: “The test purchase operation revealed that in the majority of cases that seeds, equipment and guidance was provided that would support the covert cultivation of high-potency cannabis.

“There has been a sharp rise in the potency of cannabis over recent years with emerging links to mental health issues, crime and violent behaviour for users and links to wider serious and organised criminality amongst those who produce and deal in the drug.”

Test-purchasing operations were conducted at the shops and advice was taken from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) about charging.

John Dilworth, of Lancashire CPS, said: “The charge of incitement to produce cannabis is fairly unusual.

“But there was sufficient evidence from the test purchases to prove that, by selling the equipment and giving particular advice, that was precisely what the defendants were doing.”