A residential home being used as a cannabis den in Woodhouse was raided by police last week following a report of a break-in.
Police received the report that several men had been seen breaking into a house on Quarry Mount Terrace in the early hours of the morning on Friday 31st May.
When officers arrived they found that the intruders had left the scene and the house had been vacated. The front door had been forced open, and the officers reported a strong smell of cannabis coming from the property.
Upon investigating, the officers discovered a large scale cannabis growing operation. The house was secured throughout the night until it could be cleared during the day.
A total of 171 cannabis plants were seized in the raid, along with associated growing equipment.
University of Leeds student Rob Prager, who lives on the street where the incident took place, said that he saw four police cars parked near his home after returning from a night out. He said, “It’s the sort of thing you see on TV, but it’s slightly scary when it happens in such a student area.”
Prager also witnessed the raid taking place, saying, “When the police vans arrived the next day, it was quite surreal.”
No arrests have yet been confirmed, and police enquiries are ongoing to trace those involved.
Inspector Ian O’Brien, head of the Neighbourhood Policing Team for Hyde Park and Woodhouse, has issued a statement saying, “We know that criminals continue to try to use homes in residential streets to grow cannabis on a large scale, and we remain determined to keep disrupting their illegal activities.”
He added, “We have had a lot of success in finding these set-ups and arresting the people behind them. Much of that has been down to information from the public.”
Sean Hayes
Members of the public with any information about the incident or the tenants of the house are being asked to come forward by contacting the Hyde Park and Woodhouse NPT via 101 or making an anonymous call to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.