POLICE TO TARGET CANNABIS FACTORIES

A national police crackdown on illegal cannabis factories has been
launched.

The operation involves close to 20 police forces in England and Wales
and is expected to last for two weeks.

Cannabis factories will be closed down by police and the criminal
networks who run them disrupted and dismantled.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) is expected to
announce further details of the crackdown later on Monday.

Alan Gibson, Acpo's lead on cannabis cultivation, said: "Cannabis
cultivation is an increasing problem which must be nipped in the bud.

"This operation will see police closing cannabis factories across the
country, arresting those concerned and using the Proceeds of Crime Act
to attack the criminal profits being made.

"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.

"Not only is the money 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."

As part of the operation, police are expected to ask the public to
look out for telltale signs of cannabis factories being run from
properties in their neighbourhood.

These include the windows of a property being permanently covered,
gardening equipment left outside or a pungent smell emanating from
inside.