Police discovered an underground drugs network containing more than £200,000 worth of cannabis through a secret trap door.
Officers were alerted to suspicious activity in the Deckham area of Gateshead and made the discovery while attending a property on Highcliffe Gardens.
The door in the floor led to a series of drugs tunnels and rooms containing almost 200 mature cannabis plants, equipment and a significant electrical bypass.
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Specially trained officers were called in to dismantle the cannabis farm and make the electricals safe before a total of £215,000 class B drugs were removed from the property.
Investigations have been ongoing to find those responsible, following the discovery on June 27.
Gateshead Neighbourhood Inspector Craig Brown has urged members of the community to keep sharing information with police to assist enquiries. He said: "This was a particularly concerning case as, coupled with the obvious fire hazard posed by the tampered electricals, it could have affected the structural integrity of the property.
"As well as funding more serious and organised crime, the illicit and unregulated production of cannabis in confined spaces, such as this one, presents a worrying safety risk to both the people involved and the community. Thankfully, members of the community were quick to alert us to the suspicious activity in the area, which enabled us to respond immediately and put it to a stop."
Neighbourhood Inspector Brown said investigations are ongoing to locate those responsible. He has encouraged anyone with information that they think could assist their enquiries to come forward. He added: "We would also urge people to continue reporting anything out of the ordinary in their community, so we can take appropriate action to help keep everyone safe."
Any reports of suspicious activity can be made via the online chat function on Northumbria Police’s website, or direct message on their social media. Anyone with information in relation to the underground cannabis farm can quote reference NP-20240627-0012 when making a report.
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