Police have uncovered an illicit cannabis ‘factory’ today in London’s East End.
They raided a flat in Whitechapel after complaints from neighbours of drug dealing which has been going on for three years.
Officers swarmed into the flat at 8am in O’Leary Square, off Sidney Street, where they found cannabis plants being grown.
“The flat has been used by drug dealers for a long time,” one neighbour told the East London Advertiser.
“Police have been keeping an eye on the premises and issued an injunction earlier this week against one of the occupants.
“There was a lot of heroine delivered there recently and several people have since been busted by police.”
Cannabis-growing paraphernalia was seen being carried out of the flat by officers to a waiting police van.
The operation was carried out by the Met’s Stepney Green Neighbourhood Team with a search warrant following concerns from residents that “the venue was being used to cultivate cannabis”, Scotland Yard confirmed.
No-one was at the flat when they broke in. A quantity of what is believed to be cannabis resin was found, but no cannabis plants. There have also been no arrests so far, while investigations are continuing.
O’Leary Square at is an isolated corner behind Mile End Gate which families complained was being used as a drugs ‘hot spot’ making the neighbourhood unsafe.
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