Rural Cannabis Cultivation Setup Raided, Pershore

PC Steve Elcocks and Sgt Pete Frankish (right) with some of the mature plants foundPolice officers have uncovered a cannabis cultivation setup in the village of Drakes Broughton, near Pershore.

A warrant was executed at a house on Worcester Road (the B4084) at 9am this morning and in outhouses officers uncovered around 30 mature plants and others at various stages of growth .

Several of the plants were ready for harvesting and at street value would have yielded several thousands of pounds worth of cannabis.

A man in his 30s and woman in her 20s have been arrested and are currently in custody at Worcester Police Station.

The setup was uncovered when an off-duty officer riding along the B4084 on his motorbike smelt the strong odour of cannabis as he passed through Drakes Broughton.

Following this, officers launched an investigation and evidence of the operation was uncovered, which led to today's warrant.

Sergeant Pete Frankish, who led today's operation, said: "We treat the issue of illegal drugs in rural communities as seriously as in our towns and cities.

"We have uncovered a sophisticated cultivation operation with plants of varying ages possibly designed to produce a constant supply; this even included a nursery for seedlings.

"It's been a successful operation and resulted from excellent initiative and follow up work by some of our officers."

Issued:  Thursday 27 September 2012