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SOCU Titan's Cannabis and
Cultivation Operation leads to arrests and seizures
POLICE Officers from North West Serious
and Organised Crime Unit Titan have arrested 15 people (including 11 from
Merseyside) and recovered cannabis plants and high value items an operation
executed, on Thursday, 30 March 2017.
The co-ordinated strikes are the culmination of a 6 month operation involving an
organised crime group based in the Fazakerley and Kirkby areas of Merseyside,
and suspected of being involved in large scale cannabis cultivation in the
Merseyside, Staffordshire and Dyfed Powys areas.
ON , a number of cannabis plants were
recovered from cannabis farms and high value assets have been seized under the
Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), this includes the vehicles, cash and cannabis,
seized at addresses in Fazakerley and at another within Kirkby. Also at 1 of the
address, a loaded Glock and around 20 rounds of ammunition had been recovered!
A total of 13 people were arrested across 18
properties in:- Fazakerley, Kirkby, Walton in Merseyside; Widnes in Cheshire;
Penegoes, a village near Machyunlleth in Dyfed Powys and Staffordshire.
Initial arrest have been identified to the media as:-
► A 50 year old male, from Fazakerley, who was
arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to produce cannabis and money laundering.
► A 25 year old male, from Kirkby, who has also been
arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to produce cannabis and money laundering.
► A 22 year old male, from Fazakerley, who was
arrested on suspicion of possessing a firearm and ammunition, conspiracy to
produce cannabis, money laundering and theft of a motor vehicle.
► A 38 year old male, from Walton, arrested on
suspicion of conspiracy to produce cannabis.
► A 35 year old male, from Fazakerley, who was
arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to produce cannabis and money laundering.
Detective Superintendent Sally Johnson, Head
of Operations at Titan, said:- "This action follows an extensive
investigation across the North West Region and we will now be looking to put
those arrested through the courts. I would like to reassure those communities in
which we have taken action that we are committed to reducing the impact of
organised crime across the North West and will act on all information given.
Criminal groups involved in the cultivation of cannabis are often involved in
other serious organised crime, which brings significant harm to those
communities. Groups will often rent residential and industrial properties in the
heart of our communities, and the growing of cannabis bring huge risk to
neighbouring properties and businesses. Each seizure represents money being
taken from the pockets of criminals and we encourage members of the communities
to report any concerns to Police."
Some of the signs that cannabis is being grown are:-
► Strange smells and sounds.
► Frequent and varied visitors to a property, often at
unusual times.
► Gardening equipment being taken into a property,
such as plant pots, fertiliser, fans and industrial lighting.
► Windows are sealed and covered or the curtains are
permanently closed.
► Heat from an adjoining property.
► Birds gathering on a roof in cold weather.
► Individually these activities may seem commonplace,
however, together may indicate something more sinister.
Anyone with any information can call Police on:- 101, or Crimestoppers,
anonymously, on:- 0800 555 111.
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