A man from Warrington has been jailed for 12 months after officers seized over 300 cannabis plants from a farm operating above a former fish and chip shop.
Edison Alzeneli, 20, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court where he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment after previously pleading guilty to the production of class B drugs (cannabis) and using electricity without authority.
The court heard that on Saturday 22 June, officers from Warrington Local Policing Unit conducted a warrant at an address on Winwick Street.
The ground floor of the property had previously been used as a fish and chip shop but was no longer in use and remained locked. Through one of the locked doors that led up to the first floor, officers found a propagator in the kitchen containing 117 cannabis plants inside.
On the second floor, officers found 42 bags of soil and a further 204 cannabis plants at various stages of growth spread across two rooms that had been converted to grow cannabis plants on an industrial scale. Officers also found Alzeneli in the property’s living area and swiftly arrested him.
Alzeneli, of no fixed address but of Warrington, was subsequently charged with the production of class B drugs (cannabis) and using electricity without authority.
Police Constable Jen Harrison, of the Northern Problem Solving Team, said: “This is a great result which has enabled us to remove a significant quantity of cannabis from Warrington’s streets.
“This address had been converted into a sophisticated cannabis farm, with specialist lighting and ventilation systems to maximise the amount of class B drugs being cultivated inside. In total, we believe that the building contained well over 300 cannabis plants at various stages of growth, which will all now be destroyed.
“We would urge anyone who has any concerns regarding the production or supply of illegal substances to contact Cheshire Police on 101 or visit www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us.”
