By Daisy Aitchison
On Saturday, February 9, response officers from Northumbria Police got a shock when they found a cannabis farm in a loft after escorting a drunk woman home.
Police initially responded to a call from a member of the public concerned for the welfare of a woman in her garden. After escorting her to her nearby home, the officers detected a strong smell of cannabis. They later seized 54 cannabis plants and growing equipment from the loft of the property in Heaton, Newcastle.
The 65-year-old woman and a 69-year-old man were arrested but have since been released under investigation.
Inspector Julie Rana, who is responsible for the local neighbourhood team, said:
“We know that there are mixed views on the production of cannabis and how seriously it should be taken by police but the reality is that it is an illegal drug.
“Regardless of what people think about the effect of cannabis on society, we will take seize and destroy any farms that we discover in our line of duty.”
Officers from the Forth Banks police station had initially been called out to attend to a woman reported to be inebriated and shouting in a front garden, with Inspector Rana saying the officers were “primarily concerned about the welfare of the woman”.
However, after they assisted her into her home address only a few yards from where she was found, the police quickly became suspicious and spoke to the occupant. The officers then discovered what was described as “a large home cannabis farm” in the loft of the property.
All of the plants, as well as the growing equipment, were subsequently seized.
The police urge anyone with information about drug use and supply in the community, as well as any concerns about suspicious behaviour, to call 101. Alternatively, they can email www.northumbria.police.uk or report a crime anonymously on 0800 555 111.