'Cannabis grows frequently represent serious fire risk'

An officer involved in the disruption of cannabis production in Essex is calling for greater awareness of the dangers of living near cultivations. 

PC Trevor Phillips frequently works to dismantle cannabis grows in the districts of Castle Point and Rochford.

In just one example of his good work, a recent investigation saw an offender convicted and jailed just 24 hours after his arrest.

On 12 February this year, PC Phillips and his team raided a property in Point Road, Canvey, finding 206 cannabis plants across five rooms.

Ibrahim Celami, 23, was arrested at the scene and very quickly charged with producing cannabis and abstracting electricity.

He appeared at Southend Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 13 February, admitted both offences and was sentenced to one year imprisonment.

It is this abstraction of electricity, undertaken to power such grows, that presents a very real danger to residents living nearby.

The bypassing of electricity meters and extensive faulty wiring regularly causes fires.

PC Phillips says neighbours are often not reporting cannabis cultivations, either through fear of reprisal, a lack of awareness of the risk or a misplaced belief that police will not act.

Just last weekend, on Saturday 6 September, his team executed a warrant in Canvey following intelligence a property was being used to cultivate the Class B drug.

Inside, they found an active cannabis grow – with evidence suggesting it had recently been harvested and was likely in the early stages of fresh production.

No suspects were present at the address, but a number of lines of enquiry are being progressed.

Inside the property, officers found around 112 cannabis plants growing across three or four bedrooms.

Around 3-4kg of harvested cannabis, left to dry from the previous crop, was also seized.

The address had been converted for use as a cannabis farm, with electricity being illegally and dangerously abstracted to power the equipment needed to nurture the plants.

On several occasions this year, officers and firefighters have been called out to substantial fires across Essex caused by electricity abstraction to power cannabis cultivation equipment.

Some of these fires caused extensive damage and presented a very real risk to neighbouring properties.

Alongside this fire hazard, the production of cannabis in an organised and wholesale manner is usually connected to organised crime and associated exploitation or violence.

Wider criminality and associated anti-social activity brings issues for the law-abiding residents living nearby.

'Information we receive allows us to act'

PC Phillips said:

“From my experience, while we’ve had some demonstrable successes in acting to disrupt cannabis cultivations in our district, we are seeing occasions where there is a lack of reports made by neighbours and residents living in the vicinity.
“This is unlikely to be because these residents are not aware of suspicious activity, but rather they feel they can’t or shouldn’t report it to the police.
“It’s important to reinforce that there are ways of making a report completely anonymously, via agencies like Crimestoppers. You won’t have to leave a name or any details.
“It’s also vital to bust the myth that illicit cannabis cultivations are harmless, or that they won’t affect neighbours.
“They are dangerous.
“More often than not, they are coupled with the illegal abstraction of electricity via questionable means – with faulty wiring and unsafe methods.
“We often find residential properties have been given over entirely for use as a cannabis farm, with associated power and equipment.
“This is a clear fire hazard and a danger to neighbouring properties.
“Not only this, but large-scale grows are linked to organised crime. Properties can be targeted by criminals for aggravated burglary or violence, and people are often forced or exploited to work on the cultivations.
“The main point I’d like to reinforce is to please talk to us if you are aware of such suspicious activity in your neighbourhood. We will act, and you can give information anonymously.”

What you know could be the missing puzzle piece we’re looking for.

We know that information held by our communities can help us to keep people safe and catch criminals.

We also know that our communities need to trust that we will listen to them and take action when we need to.

Our Police Intelligence page explains what happens when you tell us something you've seen or heard. It explains what to expect and what we need to know when you give us information. 

If you see or hear something that doesn’t seem right or causes you concern, we want you to tell us about it.

If you would like to make an anonymous report you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers or call them on 0800 555 111.

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