Bexley cannabis factories raided by police in Operation Hawk
10:33am Tuesday 25th September 2012 in News By Tim MacFarlan, Bexley and north Kent reporter
Safer Neighbourhoods officers with seized cannabis and cultivation kit
A PAIR of cannabis factories in Bexley have been raided in a London-wide anti-drug drive.
Under Operation Hawk 115 cannabis plants were seized at the sites in the borough, along with a BB gun and £24,000 cash.
In the day of action on Thursday (September 20) led by Safer Neighbourhoods officers, 14 search warrants were executed in Bexley as the MPS targeted cannabis farms, crack houses and suspected drug dealers at residential and business premises.
This resulted in 10 arrests from executed warrants, the seizure of 75 bags of ketamine, 50 bags of cannabis, a block of cannabis and equipment to cultivate the drug.
Two offenders wanted for drug related violent crimes were arrested and an ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) operation in Erith led to the arrest of three people suspected of driving a vehicle stolen in a burglary.
Two further vehicles were also seized.
At Abbey Wood Station British Transport Police arrested two suspects for possession with intent to supply after finding seven wraps of what is believed to be Class A drugs and three bags of cannabis.
BTP officers also issued one warning for possession of drugs.
The raids follow a renewed call to the public last week to encourage them to come forward with information about who may be selling or cultivating drugs in their area.
Safer Neighbourhoods Chief Inspector Ian Broadbridge, who led the operation in Bexley said: "With your help we can make your local neighbourhood safer - you make the call, we’ll make it stop.
Bexley Borough Commander Chief Superintendent Victor Olisa added: "This day of action saw us tackling street level drug dealing and associated crime head on.
"Be assured that we will bring together our resources to reclaim and help repair areas affected by drug dealing."
Across London cannabis with a street value of more than £2,600,000 was seized and 37 factories raided, with more than 350 arrests made as up to 2,000 officers took part in the offensive against drug related crime.
Anyone with any information can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or get in touch with their local Safer Neighbourhoods Team.
Comments(6)
SuperSilverSourDiesel
says...
3:23pm Tue 25 Sep 12
Prohibition has always done the opposite of what its meant to. Its a failed experiment that is only kept alive by Greed, Cowardice, the power of the alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceutical companies and of course personal prejudices. It being illegal has nothing to do with Expert advice, scientific evidence or our health and safety. Just say No to prohibition, it causes more harm than cannabis ever could.
Alexander Dowding
says...
11:14pm Tue 25 Sep 12
Hurry up and legalize so we can start making some money from it rather than throwing away all of those profits to real criminals in the black market.
the wall
says...
10:11am Wed 26 Sep 12
Witchkid
says...
9:48am Thu 27 Sep 12
Babs Stanley wrote:Hear! Hear! Another point worth mentioning is that anyone wishing to purchase cannabis at present has to come into contact with drug dealers who are, of course, going to try to persuade them to try something else!
We need to stop this stupid and unwinnable war against cannabis. It is causing far more harm to our communities than it prevents. If we had a properly regulated system of production and supply we'd have no more illegal cannabis farms, instead we'd have thousands of new jobs. We'd have no more dealers on the streets. Cannabis would be available to adults only through licensed outlets and we'd have some control over the THC and CBD content.
Doctors would be able to prescribe one of the most effective medicines that has no serious side effects at all. At the moment the government has given GW Pharmaceuticals an illegal monopoly on cannabis so they make millions out of a medicine that you can grow in your greenhouse for virtually nothing.
If we introduced a legally regulated system we would solve nearly all the problems around cannabis. Science proves how much safer it is than tobacco, alcohol, prescription medicines and all other recreational drugs. If anyone does have a problem with it they could get help without having to confess to a crime.
CLEAR published independent, expert research last year which shows that a tax and regulate policy on cannabis would produce a net gain to the UK economy of up to £9.3 billion per annum.
It is a scandal that our government, our judges, our courts, our police and our newspapers keep misleading us about cannabis. Find out the truth for yourself and wake up to the lies you have been told.
Of course, as with all things, there is use and there is abuse. Used as a medicinal herb, cannabis is very effective and far less dangerous than most of the so-called 'painkillers' prescribed by the GPs. Painkillers which DO NOT WORK for neuropathic pain (such as MS and FMS). The sooner it is legalised the better. After all, if anyone could legally grow it in their gardens, the bottom would fall out of a large part of the drug-dealing market, and crime levels would drop dramatically!
On a lighter note, I came across a research article on the cannabis oral spray which stated that 36% of S*tivex users stopped using it because 'the most common adverse events were fatigue and dizziness.' Nope, that's called 'being stoned'. Maybe they should use fewer sprays!
tracyp
says...
2:58pm Mon 1 Oct 12
Babs Stanley says...
1:55pm Tue 25 Sep 12
Doctors would be able to prescribe one of the most effective medicines that has no serious side effects at all. At the moment the government has given GW Pharmaceuticals an illegal monopoly on cannabis so they make millions out of a medicine that you can grow in your greenhouse for virtually nothing.
If we introduced a legally regulated system we would solve nearly all the problems around cannabis. Science proves how much safer it is than tobacco, alcohol, prescription medicines and all other recreational drugs. If anyone does have a problem with it they could get help without having to confess to a crime.
CLEAR published independent, expert research last year which shows that a tax and regulate policy on cannabis would produce a net gain to the UK economy of up to £9.3 billion per annum.
It is a scandal that our government, our judges, our courts, our police and our newspapers keep misleading us about cannabis. Find out the truth for yourself and wake up to the lies you have been told.