Crackdown on cannabis cultivation with 'Scratch & Sniff' cards

Crimestoppers and Greater Manchester Police continue crackdown on cannabis cultivation with return of 'Scratch & Sniff' cards

The second phase of a campaign to tackle cannabis cultivation in Greater Manchester is being launched.

This week hundreds of “scratch and sniff” cards are being delivered to the public to educate and inform them about the signs that may indicate a cannabis ‘farm’ nearby. The cards will omit the specific smell of cannabis when it is growing.

Hot spot areas identified by police intelligence will be targeted by a total of 17 police forces throughout the UK, with Greater Manchester Police, Merseyside and Cumbria taking part in the North West.

GMP is supporting the campaign in an attempt to dismantle criminal groups that use cannabis production as a tactic to fund further crime, which can harm individuals and their neighbourhoods.

Detective Superintendent Mark Smith from Greater Manchester Police said: “Organised criminals see cannabis cultivation as a low risk, high profit venture, and there is clear evidence that they use cannabis production as a way to fund a range of other criminal activities, such as violent crime and trafficking Class A drugs.

“To produce the cannabis criminals often rent residential properties such as flats or suburban houses and as a result may bring violent crime into law –abiding communities.

“We are committed to working with Crimestoppers again this year to keep our communities safe and I would urge everyone to act as our eyes, ears - and noses - to sniff out these criminals and their activity.

“If you suspect that cannabis is being grown in an address near you, please report this to us at 101 or to Crimestoppers completely anonymously.”

Crimestoppers’ Northern Manager Dave Hunter said: “The Scratch and Sniff cards were well received last year, a fact that was supported by the increase in information we received in the weeks after the campaign launched.

“This is a crime that can lead to much more serious incidents which is why we feel it’s important to reinforce our appeal for information from the public. We’re not looking to target individual users, we’re looking at something much bigger here, something much more dangerous, and we are targeting serious and organised crime groups who are involved in this illicit trade.”

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.

Tony McEntee, head of supplier liaison for Electricity North West, said: “This year’s campaign should act as a warning to those who have tampered with their electricity. We take meter tampering very seriously and electricity abstraction is a criminal offence and puts the safety of tenants, businesses and the general public at great risk.

“We will continue to crack down on energy theft as it is unacceptable that honest bill-paying residents across the North West are effectively paying for others to have free electricity.”

The last campaign, launched in March 2013, was hugely successful with information passed to Crimestoppers on cannabis cultivation increasing 28% 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.

Shortly after the 2013 campaign launched, Crimestoppers received information about a large cannabis growing operation. Acting on that information, police 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.

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.

Crimestoppers is asking members of the public to pass on any information about cannabis farms anonymously by telephoning 0800 555 111 or via the Anonymous Online Form via www.crimestoppers-uk.org . Both routes are 100% anonymous – names are not taken, calls and IP addresses are not traced or recorded and people do not have to go to court. To find out more about the campaign visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org/scratchandsniff.