Watch Nottinghamshire Police discover more than 1,000 cannabis plants at disused warehouse

From a half-a-million-pound cannabis farm in a disused warehouse to a cannabis grow in a bedroom – the range of Nottinghamshire's drugs-busting abilities are showcased on national television tonight (Wednesday, May 12).
Police Constable James PattersonPolice Constable James Patterson
Police Constable James Patterson

Police Interceptors kicks off with the discovery of around 1,100 plants at a disused warehouse in Derby Road, Lenton, with a street value of £500,000.

Following a report of a burglary, crews from the tactical support group were quickly on scene and were greeted with a strong smell of cannabis. They searched the property and came across roughly eight rooms across two floors which were all packed out with plants growing inside at around 1.50pm on 7 November 2020.

The grow was swiftly dismantled and taken away to be destroyed. The sophisticated growing equipment was seized as part of the police investigation. These enquiries are still ongoing.

The programme then goes on to showcase the full force of the operational support teams as they execute a morning drugs raid at a house in Darnhall Crescent in Bilborough.

Despite the occupant being an elderly man, suspicions gained from pieces of intelligence that a cannabis grow was inside were confirmed when officers found that one of the bedrooms had been turned into one.

They also found a quantity of cannabis in a bin, cannabis deals in plastic wraps, white powder in a deal bag along with mobile phones and sim cards.

All the evidence was taken away and seized and two men were investigated in relation to the incident. One of the men received a caution for cannabis and the other was released without charge.

Police Constable James Patterson was one of the officers carrying out the raid at around 7am on October 5.

The tactical support officer has been with Nottinghamshire Police for 20 years and is no stranger to busting cannabis grows.

The 43-year-old officer said: "It is exciting to be part of a raid like this because you never know what you're going to come across.

"These are often big-scale drugs operations run by organised criminals so we always have to keep on our toes.

"We go into the property, fully briefed and backed with the appropriate training and knowledge of how to respond. We're also aware that our team mates are around us and we're constantly communicating to each other through the radios."

Constable Patterson says he's been involved in lots of large cannabis grows in Nottinghamshire, but it's the more inventive ones that stand out.

He said: "There was one where criminals had gone to the extent of building a secret room underneath a house that was accessible by a secret entrance behind a bookcase. And another that was in a hidden room at the rear of a garage behind a secret panel. The downfall is that the smell always gives it away and we're not going to leave empty-handed.

“The production and distribution of drugs is an extremely serious offence and we remain as committed as ever to taking illegal drugs off our streets.

"We're aware that sometimes people take cannabis for medical reasons and people might be under the misbelief that there are more serious crimes to focus on.

"However, cannabis production and drug crime can lead to more serious violence as dealers use force to try to keep their illicit business going, sometimes with people forced into modern slavery in cultivating the drugs.

“We can't let organised criminals cause fear in our communities whilst making financial gains from taking advantage of vulnerable people.

"And our message to anyone involved in their supply is really clear: we’re watching you and it could be you next."

And the action doesn't stop there. Also on the Interceptors show tonight there's no escape for a hideaway who comes face-to-face with police dog Quantum and a drink-driver conducts a reckless move in an attempt to evade officers.

Catch all of this and more at 8pm on Channel 5.