Latest sign of credit crunch – more neighbourhood cannabis farms

POLICE are raiding cannabis factories in residential properties across Scotland on at least a weekly basis, The Scotsman has learned.

Concern is mounting among officers about the trend of rented flats and apartments being turned into illegal cultivation "farms".

Detectives believe the slowdown in the housing market has led to upmarket flats in Edinburgh and Glasgow being increasingly used for cannabis factories.

Many property owners are being forced to rent out flats they are unable to sell and police say there is a need for extra vigilance from letting agents – particularly in new developments where neighbours may be less likely to suspect criminal activity on their doorstep.

Police have turned to businesses in the capital to help them smash cannabis gangs, urging letting agents and property management firms to tighten their procedures and report any suspicious signs.

The Scotsman revealed last year that Far Eastern "Mr Bigs" were overseeing major new production lines in Scotland after being gradually forced out of England and Wales.

More than £15 million worth of cannabis has been seized from about 100 factories set up in residential properties over the past 18 months.

Experts say cannabis farms are being uncovered "from the Borders to the Shetland Isles" as gangs are forced to move to rural areas in a bid to avoid detection.

The Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency co-ordinates Operation League, which was set up specifically to combat the growth of cannabis farms.

An insider said: "Some weeks, we are discovering cannabis factories virtually every day and over the last year the average has been well over one a week."

Police believe it is mainly Chinese and Vietnamese illegal immigrants who are working in residential cannabis factories.

Almost £500,000 worth of cannabis has been seized since April as part of a major operation by Lothian and Borders Police. Nine illegal Chinese immigrants have been charged as part of the investigation, which has led to raids being carried out in Leeds and Manchester.

Detective Inspector David Gordon, of Lothian and Borders Police, said: "Two full-scale factories were initially discovered during a major operation we carried out in April and subsequent investigations led to a number of other properties in Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester being raided and nine people being charged with being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

"All nine arrested were of Chinese or Vietnamese origin and were illegal immigrants.

"We're monitoring a number of individuals at the moment and we do suspect that there may be a number of other cannabis factories operating in residential properties."

BACKGROUND

CANNABIS farms recently discovered in residential properties have seen every room filled with up to 40 plants.

A large amount of heating and lighting equipment is usually installed in the factory so as to grow "super-strength" cannabis, also known as skunk.

Police say there are a number of telltale signs that a cannabis farm has been set up in a flat.

The windows tend to be permanently covered, the flat usually attracts a lot of late-night activity and a "pungent smell" is often detected coming from the property. No-one usually stays in flats where cannabis farms have been set up and people often only visit to check on the plants.

Other suspicious signs include a large number of black bin bags or laundry bags, noise from cooling fans or a vent protruding from a rear window.