Crime: East London weed farms raided by police

Officers from the Drugs Focus Desk, part of the Violence Suppression Unit covering Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge, executed a warrant at an address in Charnwood Drive on Monday, March 29.

A 29-year-old man was arrested at the scene and was subsequently charged with cultivation of cannabis and abstraction of electricity.

He is currently remanded in custody pending a Crown Court appearance later this month.

A second raid took place at a residential property in Arnold Road, Barking in the early hours of Tuesday, April 6.

Approximately 125 full grown cannabis plants and related cultivation equipment were found inside the property. All plants and equipment were removed to be destroyed.

A number of bladed weapons were also seized during the search.

Two men, aged 47 and aged 24, were arrested on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis. They were taken to an east London police station where they were subsequently released on bail to return on a date in mid-May.

Detective Sergeant Owen Morgan of the Drugs Focus Desk said: “The sale and use of drugs, and the crime associated with them, is a blight on the lives of law-abiding people in our community.

“Working together with our partner agencies and making use of all of the resources available to us, we will continue to take all possible action to disrupt and dismantle the activities of those producing and dealing drugs.

“Our priority is to minimise the negative impact that the drug trade can have on the quality of life for ordinary people living, working and raising their families in east London.”

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