Man arrested as two cannabis farms discovered in Sunderland and Washington

A man has been arrested and police have dismantled two cannabis farms in Washington and Sunderland after officers uncovered drug farming operations.
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Police were conducting enquiries in the Wellington Walk area of Washington when they heard suspicious movement inside an address at 5.30pm on Tuesday, August 24.

Northumbria Police said upon entering, the officers found a 21-year-old man and a ‘significant’ cannabis farm with more than 200 plants growing over two floors.

The man was arrested and the drugs seized.

A cannabis farm has been discovered in Tunstall Vale.A cannabis farm has been discovered in Tunstall Vale.
A cannabis farm has been discovered in Tunstall Vale.
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Then 24 hours later, on Wednesday evening, officers attended a property on Tunstall Vale in Sunderland after receiving intelligence that it may be associated with drug supply.

Inside, officers found another cannabis farm with more than 400 plants at various stages of growth – with the set-up posing a substantial fire risk due the electricity being by-passed.

The force said both farms were subsequently dismantled.

The discoveries followed an unconnected raid in Kenilworth Court in Washington last week, where officers seized quantities of heroin and cocaine that had been hidden in a Kinder egg.

Cannabis farms in Washington and Sunderland were dismantled by police this week.Cannabis farms in Washington and Sunderland were dismantled by police this week.
Cannabis farms in Washington and Sunderland were dismantled by police this week.

A 38-year-old was detained and remains under investigation.

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Chief Inspector Nicola Wearing, of Northumbria Police, said: “Over the last 10 days we have had some fantastic results as part of our ongoing crackdown on drug supply.

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“As a result of some fantastic police work, and crucially the support of our communities, we have stopped quantities of heroin, cocaine and cannabis from reaching our streets – and put a major dent in the pockets of criminals.

She added: “These kind of drug operations are often linked to organised crime with groups using this income to fund other types of criminality.”

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