INVESTIGATION: How our police weeded out dealers by raiding ten Northamptonshire cannabis farms worth £750,000 in two weeks

"We are absolutely hammering criminals and more determined than ever to tackle people profiting from illegal drugs"
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An investigation by the combined reporting teams of the Chronicle & Echo and Northants Telegraph has pieced together how local police are cracking down on drugs dealers blighting our county.

Ten raids have shut down ten cannabis farms in just over a fortnight, destroying drugs worth a whopping £750,000 which would have been destined for our county's streets.

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Superintendent Dennis Murray, who heads up Northamptonshire Police's operations in the north of the county, said: “We are absolutely hammering the criminals at the moment and we are more determined than ever to tackle people profiting from illegal drugs.

"Many people may see the production of cannabis and the selling of drugs as a victimless crime, but the people at the top of the chain will often exploit vulnerable people and put them to work in these factories, using them to make money with no thought for their welfare.

“We hope the discovery and dismantling of these factories demonstrates a commitment to our communities across Northamptonshire, who deserve to enjoy living in their local areas, that we will keep working hard to make this county an even safer and nicer place to live and that we have zero-tolerance approach to the production of illegal drugs.”

“Proactive policing is what people want to see and it’s what gets results – we have no plans to slow down or ease up.

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“I hope the public continue to be reassured by the good results we keep getting and I want them to know that we remain committed to making Northamptonshire an even safer and nicer place to live."

Police unearthed a huge cannabis farm worth around 300,000 in a plush Corby housePolice unearthed a huge cannabis farm worth around 300,000 in a plush Corby house
Police unearthed a huge cannabis farm worth around 300,000 in a plush Corby house

Our team of reporters on the ground here in Northamptonshire, with help from staff at our sister paper the Daventry Express, has gained exclusive access inside some of the drugs farms to see how ordinary properties in towns and villages are being used to hide massive operations.

And we have seen first hand how the police are getting help from the local community in the war on drugs.

June 8 — Barnwell Street, Kettering

A farm was found which had recently been harvested in a house near the town centre but police seized a large bag of cannabis and equipment to produce ready-to-use cannabis.

These plants came from a raid in Rushden last weekThese plants came from a raid in Rushden last week
These plants came from a raid in Rushden last week

June 12 — Park Road, Rushden

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Four men all aged between 22 and 32 arrested in connection with a "large" cannabis factory discovered in Rushden. The cannabis factory spanned five rooms in the property and police recovered 184 plants, reckoned to be worth around £60,000.

June 15 — Malcolm Road, Northampton

Officers seized cannabis plants worth up to £35,000 during a 9am raid on a Northampton semi in the Kingsley area. Two men were arrested.

Some of ten addresses around the county police swooped on in two weeksSome of ten addresses around the county police swooped on in two weeks
Some of ten addresses around the county police swooped on in two weeks

June 15 — Merefields, Irthlingborough

Cannabis production equipment was found in a £250,000 property on a modern estate in Irthlingborough.

June 16 — Sheaf Street, Daventry

More than 100 plants at various stages of growth were discovered in a town centre property. The cultivation, believed to be worth up to £40,000. was spread across four rooms on three floors of the house.

June 17 — Brooke Road, Great Oakley

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The biggest haul of the lot. Our exclusive video showed officers raiding a plush, £400,000 detached house near Corby and seizing 603 plants, worth a whopping £300,000. Cheeky growers had rented the house and even run their own power supply from a nearby electricity pole!

This 400,000 house in Corby was being used as a cannabis farmThis 400,000 house in Corby was being used as a cannabis farm
This 400,000 house in Corby was being used as a cannabis farm

June 19 — Pratt Road, Rushden

An 18-year-old Vietnamese national was arrested after being found hiding in among 200-300 cannabis plants. The plants, worth about £150,000, were found in six rooms spread around the property close to AFC Rushden & Diamonds football ground. Thong Guyen pleaded guilty at Northamptonshire Magistrates Court and will be sentenced next month.

June 22 — Rock Street, Wellingborough

This raid on a terraced house in Rock Street, just off Broad Green, unearthed 110 cannabis plants worth around £45,000 A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of being involved in the production of cannabis.

June 23 — John Gray Road, Great Doddington

A total of 46 plants were seized from an address in the quiet Northants village, near Earls Barton.

June 24 — Stanhope Road, Northampton

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Most recently, police discovered a 'large' cannabis factory in a terraced house in Kingsthorpe following tip-offs from locals. A total of 250 plants were found over six rooms of the property in Stanhope Road, worth around £150,000. No arrests have been made so far.

Detective Chief Inspector Lee McBride heads up the force’s serious and organised crime campaign, Operation Viper, aiming to crack down on those involved in drug and gang-related crime.

He said: “We remain relentless in our aim to tackle the supply of drugs in this county and these warrants demonstrate that determination and desire to keep pursuing those people committing crime here.

“My message to those people is: You might think your activity is going unnoticed or that we don’t know who you are, but we are constantly collecting intelligence on the supply of drugs here and it could be your door we’re going through next.”