Police raid Haydock cannabis farm

Officers executed a drugs warrant at a property in Badbury Close, at 6.30am and discovered a large quantity of cannabis being ‘dried out’.

The man was arrested on suspicion of production of cannabis and will be questioned by officers today.

An Audi A5 was also seized.

Inspector John Whittingham said: "Cannabis cultivation by criminal gangs can cause serious harm in our communities and we know that criminal groups involved in the cultivation of cannabis are usually involved in other serious organised crime.

"Our communities can help us stop these groups, who are only interested in making money, from turning houses and flats into potential death traps.

"The people who set up these farms often tamper with the electricity meters to steal electricity, and there will generally be a number of hot lamps hooked to overloaded electricity sockets as well as an extensive watering system.

"Electricity and water are never a good combination, and the fire service have seen an increase in the number of fires they have been called to as a result of fires caused by the crude systems put in place by the people who set up these farms. The potential dangers of setting up a farm in a terraced street such as this are obvious."

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

Anyone with any information can call police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.