Help police 'sniff out' cannabis factories

INDEPENDENT crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers has today launched a new campaign to target illegal cannabis factories by distributing ‘scratch and sniff’ cards to people to educate them about drugs.

There has been a 15 per cent increase in cannabis factories in the UK in 2011-12 and the police and Crimestoppers want to teach law-abiding people who to spot the signs and detect cannabis farms by recognising the specific smell of growing cannabis.

The cards contain an element that replicates the distinctive smell of cannabis in its growing state.

Hotspot areas targeted in this campaign include West and South Yorkshire, London, Greater Manchester and Avon & Somerset, which have all been identified as areas with the highest number of cannabis farms in the UK.

Crimestoppers recognises that drugs crimes not only affect individual users but the safety of communities with around half of criminal groups in the UK being involved in drug trafficking and distribution.

Research has shown that commercial or industrial premises are being used less and there has been a significant move towards residential homes over multiple sites to grow cannabis plants.

Over the last two years police forces have seized over one million cannabis plants, with an estimated value of over £200 million.

Since Crimestoppers began in 1988, the charity has helped to seize illegal drugs with a street value of over £292 million. Around half of all information that is passed to Crimestoppers every year is about drugs offences so the public are clearly concerned about having drugs in their communities.

Crimestoppers’ director of operations, Roger Critchell said: "We are distributing "scratch and sniff" cards because not many people know how to recognise the signs of cannabis cultivation happening in their neighbourhood, many are also not familiar with the established links between this crime and serous organised crime.

"Cannabis farms make everyone a victim. Is organised crime running a cannabis farm in your neighbourhood? Give us information anonymously on 0800 555 111 to help play your part in keeping our streets safe."
Crimestoppers is asking members of the public to pass on any information about cannabis farms anonymously by telephoning 0800 555 111 or via our anonymous online form via www.crimestoppers-uk.org .

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