26
Jun
2014
By Calvin at 16:05 GMT, 11 years ago
Once again, the charity and police forces across the country will be distributing “scratch and sniff” cards to the public to educate and inform them about the signs to spot and the specific smell of cannabis when it is growing. Hot spot areas, as informed by police intelligence, will be targeted by a total of 17 police forces throughout England and Wales.
Cannabis cultivation by criminal gangs can harm individuals and their neighbourhoods. When criminal gangs grow cannabis they often rent residential properties such as flats or suburban houses and may bring serious crime into communities including gun crime, power theft and human trafficking. Organised criminals see cannabis cultivation as a low risk, high profit venture, and use it to fund a range of other criminal activities such as trafficking Class A drugs. There is clear evidence that serious and organised criminal groups are using cannabis cultivation as a means to further their criminal activity.
According to the most recent UK Human Trafficking Centre Baseline Assessment on the nature and scale of human trafficking in 2012, of the 362 potential victims who were reported to have been criminally exploited, 69 (19%) were exploited for cannabis cultivation. Of those potential victims trafficked for cannabis cultivation, 56 (81%) were children. The number of potential victims who were reported to have been trafficked for cannabis cultivation increased by 130% from 2011 to 2012 (30 to 69).
The last campaign, launched in March 2013, was hugely successful with information passed to Crimestoppers on cannabis cultivation increasing 28 per cent in the month following the launch. Over 800 pieces of information were passed to law enforcement in the first week about cannabis-related crime – an increase of 59 per cent on the previous seven days. This information contributed to new cannabis farms being discovered and a number of arrests.
One example of the success of last year, is shortly after the 2013 campaign launched, Crimestoppers received information about a large cannabis growing operation. Acting on our information, law enforcement were able to shut down a commercial cannabis farm, seizing plants with a street value of more than £1m and arresting several men in connection with the offence.
A number of organisations affected by cannabis cultivation are this year supporting the campaign, including property sector trade associations, energy companies, Neighbourhood Watch and the Chief Fire Officers Association.
Cannabis cultivation can cause huge damage to property which may not be covered by insurance, and can result in loss of rent whilst properties are repaired. Growing equipment and excessive energy supplies used to manufacture the drugs can also increase the chance of a fire.
As reported last year, the cost of cannabis cultivation can also be inflicted on innocent members of the public. In July 2013, energy regulator OFGEM confirmed that a third of all costs relating to energy theft came as a result of cannabis cultivation – amounting to around £70 million. Energy companies are working hard to combat energy theft and that is why they are endorsing this campaign.
Since Crimestoppers began in 1988, the charity has helped to seize illegal drugs with a street value of over £312 million. Around half of all information that is passed to Crimestoppers every year is about drugs offences so the public are clearly concerned about the affect crimes such as cannabis cultivation can have on their community.
TCPW Comment: I’m really pleased to see this second phase launched as we had a cannabis factory operating in a rented house just up the road from where I live! They were growing it in the large loft of the house and, of course, were stealing the electricity.
Crimestopper’s campaign usefully gives a list of clues to look out for, so that you might spot a cannabis farm near you....
- A strong and sickly sweet smell
- Equipment to grow cannabis being taken into a house. For example, lighting and ventilation equipment.
- Constantly covered or blocked-off windows. Cannabis factories often have constantly pulled curtains, black-out blinds or foil coverings.
- Unsociable coming and going at all hours or neighbours you never see.
- Strong and constant lighting day and night.
- High levels of heat and condensation. Cannabis factories often give off heat and the windows stay misted up.
- Constant buzz of ventilation. Listen out for a whirring sound as the growers try to create an ideal climate for the plants to grow.
- Lots of power cables. Gangs dig underground to lay cables that hook up to things like lamp posts so they don’t have to pay for the enormous amounts of electricity they use. They can easily bypass a £20,000 utility bill.
If you spot any of the signs that there may be a cannabis farm in your community you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use our Anonymous Online Form. You will not be asked any personal details and neither your telephone number nor IP address will not be traced or recorded.
For more information please visit the link below:
Crimestoppers Cannabis Cultivation Campaign: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/get-involved/our-campaigns/national-campaigns/commercial-cannabis-cultivation/
