Cannabis Farm Discovered in Middleton

Two people have been arrested after police discovered a cannabis farm while executing a warrant at an address in Middleton on Wednesday 27 September 2006.

Officers went to the address on Hough Lane in Middleton at 11am and found over 70 plants with an estimated street value of around £20,000.

A quantity of hydroponic equipment, used to cultivate cannabis, was also seized form the address.

The arrests form part of Operation Keymer, a crackdown launched as part of a national operation to target hundreds of cannabis factories across the country raided and the organised criminal gangs who run them disrupted and dismantled.

Chief Inspector John Martin from Rochdale said: "These arrests formed part of a nationwide crackdown on the cultivation of cannabis both in Greater Manchester and across the country.

"In order to help us to target this sort of criminal we need the help of the local community. I would appeal to anyone who suspects that people are cultivating drugs in their local community to contact the police or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

"We can treat all information in the strictest of confidence and any piece of information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, could be the key to removing more drugs from the streets of Rochdale."

A 48-year-old man and a 19-year-old man, both from Rochdale, were arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis and abstracting electricity. Both men have been released on police bail pending further enquires.

Operation Keymer, which will run from 25 September until 5 October 2006, will support ongoing work taking place across Greater Manchester to root out these factories, whilst improving police knowledge and understanding of the trade through activity-led intelligence gathering.