HOUSE FULL OF CANNABIS

Hundreds of cannabis plants were found growing in three bedrooms
of a Halesowen home by stunned police who stumbled on them by chance.

The plants, worth around UKP400,000, were seized by officers responding
to an unrelated call.

Today curious neighbours gathered around the semi-detached home in
Halesowen, as the pungent smell of the plants filled the street.

Sgt Jason Anderson from Halesowen police station said officers
received a call just before 4am.

"There were concerns about the occupiers so we came along here and
just stumbled across it.

"What you see here in the street is just a small part of it. There
were three bedrooms full of it, about 400 plants."

One resident said: "I'm gobsmacked. You could smell something strange
but didn't know what it was.

"The people living there just kept themselves to themselves. We never
heard a word from them in all the time they lived there.

"It's not the kind of thing you see everyday in your own road."

Officers searched the house before scenes of crime teams went in,
although no arrests have yet been made. The drugs were removed and
will be destroyed.

High-powered lights used to grow drugs were also found in the house,
as well as a variety of other specialized equipment.

The landlord of the property, who was called out by the police, said:
"It was a bit of a surprise to say the least. I got called out in
middle of the night."

The man, who did not want to be named, said the Chinese occupiers had
been renting the property for about four months.

It was the second chance find of a major drugs haul in Dudley in a
week.