| Good Evening We’ve shut down a block of flats after finding a drugs factory in the basement through a ‘trap door’ – and want residents with worries about properties that may be linked to crime to contact us so we can take action. The closure order on the multi-occupancy property was granted at Birmingham Magistrates Court on 24 November. It comes after officers from our Harborne Neighbourhood Police Team stumbled across the cannabis farm in Stanmore Road on 15 November. They were carrying out enquiries into a bike theft when they checked the house and found a hatch leading into a basement that was full of mature cannabis plants. We counted 199 plants – with a street value of around £200,000 – and the electricity supply had been bypassed with dodgy wiring making it a serious fire risk. |
| Enquiries showed the landlord had previous links to cannabis cultivation so we applied for the three-bed property to be closed down. Concerned residents supported our application, saying the house was a magnet for crime and anti-social behaviour. The closure order runs for two months but we’ll apply for it to be extended if the landlord can’t provide assurances they’ll keep a closure eye on the house. Our action was welcomed by Mike Mees who is a spokesman for the local North Edgbaston Residents Action Group. He said: “I know that residents felt intimidated by the people living there and were suspicious of what was going on behind closed doors. It comes as no surprise the police have uncovered a huge drugs factory. “It’s really important we all stand together to show we won’t accept this kind of activity on our streets…and together with the police we can work to improve our community.” |
| Harborne Police Sergeant Bushra Zarif added: “We will hold landlords to account: they have responsibilities to ensure their properties are not being used for criminal purposes. “And if they can’t do that then we’ll take action to close them down. “Cannabis factories like this attract crime and ant-social behaviour and often are targeted by people looking to use force to steal the crop. They are also serious fire risks due to the unsafe wiring and electricity theft.” If you suspect a property near you is being used for crime then we want to know. Call us on 101 or message via Live Chat on our website. Kind Regards Georgina Johnstone Engagement and Consultation officer Birmingham NPU | West Midlands Police Email : g.johnstone@west-midlands.pnn.police.uk Preventing crime, protecting the public and helping those in need. If it’s not 999, search WMP Online |
| Message Sent By Georgina Johnstone (Police Staff, Engagement Officer, Birmingham) |