Portsmouth police raid cannabis factory holding over 300 plants in North End

Officers were called to a property in Laburnum Grove at 1pm on Tuesday after a report of a suspected cannabis factory.

Residents say that police remained at the address for much of the day before three police cars and a van arrived after midday on Wednesday, with officers carrying more than a dozen of bags seemingly full of cannabis from the property.

A nearby resident of the road, Daniel Acton, said a strong smell of cannabis covered the road for much of Tuesday night.

The 40-year-old, who has lived on Laburnum Grove for more than 10 years, said: ‘We could smell it wafting up the street on Tuesday night. It was so strong. You could smell it all around the house.

‘Yesterday a big police van turned up, and police moved about 15 or 20 bags out of the property.

‘It’s a bit of a shock – you don’t expect it so close, you don’t expect it at all.’

Another resident, who asked not to be named, said he often saw people leaving the target property late at night.

The 72-year-old said: ‘There’s a lot of comings and goings in the middle of the night.

‘I have always felt safe here – but it doesn’t surprise me at all.

‘It seems to be everywhere at the moment.’

A spokeswoman from Hampshire Constabulary said that more than 300 plants were discovered in the cannabis factory.

She said: ‘Officers remained at the scene while the cannabis factory was dismantled and the property was made safe.

‘We’re really keen to hear from people who suspect there is cannabis cultivation or drug related activity going on their neighbourhood.

‘Every call you make to us is logged and helps us build up an intelligence picture about what might be happening in your community.

‘This allows us to take action and protect neighbourhoods from drug related harm caused by this criminality and anti-social behaviour associated with drugs activity.’

Anyone who has any information regarding the Laburnum Grove investigation should call the police on 101 quoting reference number 44210337795.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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