Operation Keymer

Operation Keymer - Nipping Cannabis Cultivation in the Bud

Organised criminals running illegal cannabis factories can expect to be arrested, their businesses closed down and their assets frozen, ACPO announced today.

A national police crackdown, launched today, will see hundreds of cannabis factories across the country raided and the organised criminal gangs who run them disrupted and dismantled.

The operation will focus on properties being used to produce â??skunkâ?? - a potent and potentially dangerous form of cannabis, which is produced by criminals mistakenly believing it to be a low risk industry. Skunk contains far higher quantities of the chemical THC than 'herbal' or 'resin', making skunk users considerably more vulnerable to its negative effects.

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

Allan Gibson, ACPO lead on tackling cannabis cultivation and Commander at the Metropolitan police, said:

â??Cannabis cultivation is an increasing problem which must be nipped in the bud. Operation Keymer will see police closing cannabis factories across the country, arresting those concerned and using the Proceeds of Crimes Act to attack the criminal profits being made.

â??Cannabis cultivation is seen by criminals as a low risk, high profit industry, but this operation will send out a clear message that cannabis production is a serious offence and that offenders will be brought to justice.

â??Not only is the money made from cannabis cultivation ploughed back into serious crime, but the bypassing of the electricity needed to run the factories causes risk of fire and electrocution and they have already caused several devastating fires.

â??Members of the public can assist the police in this operation by looking out for the tell tale signs of cannabis cultivation on their street. Should a member of the public grow suspicious of a property, they should NOT approach the property, but call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or their local police station. â?�

Home Office Minister Vernon Coaker said:

"We fully support this crackdown which sends out a powerful message that growing and dealing in cannabis will not be tolerated. Those who use and sell cannabis will face tough penalties: up to 14 years for cultivation and dealing."

Some of these factors combined may indicate that there is a cannabis factory on the premises. If you believe there is a cannabis factory in your area, please call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or your local police station:

* The windows of the property are permanently covered from the inside.

* Visits to the premises occur at unusual times of the day or night.

* People often do not live in the premises and only visit to maintain them.

* The offenders may call daily or weekly but usually do not stay long.

* The cannabis or by-products such as used fertiliser will be removed in black bin bags or laundry bags.

* Compost bags or gardening equipment may be left outside, usually in the rear of the premises.

* There may be a vent protruding through the roof or a rear window.

* There may be a pungent smell emanating from the premises.

* There may be noise coming from the equipment in the premises (i.e. cooling fans).

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. 17 police forces in England and Wales are taking part in the operation - Cambridgeshire, Essex, Greater Manchester, Hertfordshire, Kent, Merseyside, Metropolitan, Norfolk, Northumbria, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, South Wales, South Yorkshire, Surrey, Sussex, West Yorkshire and Wiltshire.

2. The operation, called Operation Keymer, runs from Monday 25 September to Thursday 5 October.

3. Currently around 60 per cent of cannabis found in the UK is "Skunk" that is mainly grown in the UK rather than being imported. This is a large increase on the quantities found up until around 2004. In the mid-90s only 10 per cent of cannabis in the UK was Skunk, at most. There is therefore evidence of a move toward Skunk which is much more powerful than imported cannabis 'resin' or 'herbal.'

4. Skunk averages 12 per cent THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) content and can get up to 35 per cent. Resin and herbal averages 3-4 per cent THC content. Higher levels of THC make skunk users considerably more vulnerable to its negative effects.

5. Cannabis cultivation is linked to organised criminal networks who are estimated to be making very large profits (a small factory of 200 plants can turn over £30,000 profit in 3 months). There have been serious offences such as murders and kidnapping linked to this.

6. There is a serious public safety risk caused by the factories. The bypassing of the electricity causes risk of fire and electrocution and there have already been a large number of fires caused. No one should enter a Cannabis factory until it has been secured by the police and made safe by electricity providers.

7. The ACPO Press Office can be contacted via 020 7227 3406/3425 (office hours) or via 07803 903686 (out of office hours).

8. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) is an independent, professionally led strategic body. In the public interest and, in equal and active partnership with Government and the Association of Police Authorities, ACPO leads and co-ordinates the direction and development of the police service in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In times of national need ACPO, on behalf of all chief officers, coordinates the strategic policing response.

9. ACPOâ??s 341 members are police officers of Assistant Chief Constable rank (Commanders in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police) and above, and senior police staff managers, in the 44 forces in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, plus national agencies such as NCIS and the National Crime Squad, and other forces such as British Transport Police and States of Jersey Police.

They're not even attempting to go after the dangerous drugs. In the UK for the past 3 months there's been barely any smoke, yet e's and coke are everywhere, it's a fucking joke.

Fuckin pricks like Pete Doherty actually selling crack to kids in rehab and he gets a slap on the wrist.

Hey Paddy, If you were a cop, which would YOU rather go after- a meth freak with a pit bull and an AK47, or a pot head growing AK47? The cops are just trying to play it safe. Get active and get pot legal. Then the cops will have to do their job--protecting the public, instead of picking on kids and little old ladies (like me) who grow cannabis.

"Cannabis cultivation is an increasing problem which must be nipped in the bud."

Is this a joke? If it's not, that's a real bad pun, intended or not.