THIRD RAID ON LANCING 'CANNABIS' CAFE

POLICE have raided Lancing's cannabis cafe for a third time - taking
15 minutes to get in.

In what is thought to be Britain's most fortified cannabis cafe,
officers took around a quarter of an hour to gain entry to the
building, on a slip road off Freshbrook Road, Lancing, during the raid
during the evening of Wednesday, February 6.

The raid took place after two people, a man and a woman, were arrested
for possession of cannabis after being spotted leaving the cafe.

But the heavy fortifications, which consist of metal poles surrounding
the building, two "air lock" style steel doors and a high tech CCTV
system, thwarted officers from getting inside the building quickly.

Adur Inspector James Asser said: "Officers saw a large plume of smoke
emanating from the building on demanding entry and were delayed by
some 15 minutes with the occupants failing to open the doors.

"This building is surrounded by steel poles on which sit tyres full of
concrete, the windows are barred, the doors of which there are two
comprising an air lock are constructed from steel with warnings of
electrified wire present on the premises.

"Officers at the scene reported the smell of cannabis burning in the
air while they waited for entry and on entering found a burner
situated on the premises having been used prior to entry being gained."

No further arrests were made inside the building and no other cannabis
was found.

It follows two previous raids on the building, one in July last year,
where officers attempted to smash their way into the cafe using a
battering ram.

Click here to see photographs from the raid.

During a second raid in October a tractor was used to pull out a
window.

The two people arrested this time received a caution.