Man charged after police raid cannabis factory with more than 100 plants in Hampshire

Officers found the building in Old Winton Road, Andover, with drugs and an extensive set-up two days ago.

In total, 120 plants were found spread across several rooms on Thursday afternoon.

Ventilation and lighting equipment was also spotted at the scene.

Petrit Kovaci, 34, was arrested at the address on suspicion of producing a controlled drug of Class B.

He has now been charged with said offence, and will appear at Basingstoke Magistrates Court today.

Officers dismantled the factory and carried out enquiries yesterday.

Test Valley Inspector Chris Taylor said: ‘We take these incidents seriously as quite often the production of cannabis on this scale is linked to organised crime and hidden harm.‘Those gangs may take advantage of vulnerable people, exploiting them or making them work in servitude in squalid conditions.

‘That’s why we want to hear from people who suspect there is cannabis cultivation going on in their neighbourhood.

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‘Every call will help us build a better intelligence picture so we can target our resources accordingly.

‘We also would urge landlords to regularly check their properties. We often see dangerous alterations to the structure and electrics of homes that are being used to grow cannabis. This can lead to a significant financial cost to the landlord.

‘We want them to check their properties regularly and report any suspicious activity as soon as possible so we can take action.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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