Another cannabis farm found in second disused pub this month
Merseyside Police has arrested two men following the discovery of a cannabis farm at the former Green Dragon pub in St Helens on Friday, 15 December.
A search warrant was carried out at the disused property at around 8.40am in Garton’s Lane, Sutton Manor, where 34 cannabis plants with a potential annual yield of £130,000 were located and recovered by police.
Cannabis growing equipment was also seized, said a police spokesperson.
A 35-year-old man from Enfield and a 53-year-old man from Liverpool were arrested on suspicion of cannabis production and taken into custody for questioning, confirmed the police.
Only a few days earlier and around 17 miles away, officers discovered almost 450 cannabis plants worth an estimated street value of around £1.8m at former pub the Claremont Bar, Sandy Road, Seaforth.
A search warrant was carried out on Friday, 8 December at the old pub where 477 cannabis plants, plus bags of cut cannabis ready for distribution, were located.
'Serious harm'
Speaking at the time, Sergeant Gary Sorrell said: "Cannabis cultivation by criminal gangs can cause serious harm in our communities. Criminal groups involved in the cultivation of cannabis are usually involved in other serious organised crime and they often rent residential properties such as this."
He added: "The people who set up these farms often tamper with the electricity meters to steal power, 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.”
Police confirmed to The Morning Advertiser that there is no suggestion the two cases are connected.
