Herne Bay, Kent – Kent Police have uncovered a significant cannabis farm, valued at an estimated £40,000, after a fly-tipping investigation led officers to a residential property. The discovery, which was made on a Friday, came after public concerns were reported to police about illegal waste dumping in the Herne Bay area.
Working with officials from Canterbury City Council, police were able to trace the illegally dumped cannabis waste and associated equipment to a house on Canterbury Road. After securing a search warrant, police entered the property and found a sophisticated cannabis cultivation operation with over 90 plants.
The plants and all necessary growing tools have since been seized and destroyed. An ongoing police investigation is now focused on tracing and identifying the individuals responsible for this illegal cultivation.
The Unseen Link Between Fly-Tipping and Organised Crime
This case is representative of a broader trend: a seemingly mundane environmental offence, like fly-tipping, can itself be evidence of a much deeper criminal organisation. The trash, generally any mixture of polluted dirt, plastic coverings, and broken electrical equipment, is oftentimes left at rural or inconvenient sites to ensure it is not discovered. These activities are not simply an annoyance but are oftentimes a byproduct of large-scale crime.
Across the UK, council authorities and police services are increasingly making this connection. For those who are involved with organised criminal units, fly-tipping has a double advantage: it gets rid of evidence and it can save them money by avoiding legally enforced removal charges. For investigators, it can however give the first clue to bring out an entire organised crime unit. The case at Herne Bay is a perfect representation of how something as ordinary as fly-tipping can become the key to bringing out a large-scale crime operation.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has pointed out that gangs often use residential buildings to set up these farms. The operations pose a serious risk to community safety. Not only are they producing drugs, but the conditions they’re run in are dangerous. Growers often illegally bypass the main electricity supply to avoid detection and cut costs, which creates a huge fire risk for nearby homes.
Beyond the actual danger to public safety, these operations are often intertwined with modern slavery and human trafficking. Vulnerable people, frequently illegal migrants, are typically forced to work and live on the farms in horrible conditions with restricted access to services.
A Wider Problem Across the UK
The discovery at Herne Bay is hardly exceptional. Similar occurrences have been seen throughout the country, from Humberside to the West Midlands, where police have unearthed multi-million-pound cannabis farms. They are a primary source of income for organised crime groups and pose a huge challenge for police.
In response, certain police services are using new methods to combat this growing menace. For example, some police forces are using forensic tagging, such as “smart water,” on seized cannabis plants. This will allow them to link any subsequently fly-tipped rubbish to a previously identified grow site, thus making it easier to prosecute perpetrators. It also acts as a powerful deterrent.
The profitability of these activities is their main driver. The estimated worth of the 90+ cannabis plants seized in Herne Bay, £40,000, proved to be a big motivator for organised criminal groups. This high value is all the reason they need to justify their continuation with these activities, despite the significant risks.
A Call to the Public for Information
The success of the Herne Bay operation was due to multi-agency working, with Kent Police and Canterbury City Council collaborating effectively. This is key to combating serious criminal enterprises that cross jurisdictional lines.
However, when it comes to rubbish dumps, there is a matching effort by citizens at large. Police are often reliant upon tip-offs from householders and landowners who notice something amiss or discover rubbish dumps. The Herne Bay case is a grim reminder that apparently peripheral information can turn out to be a useful initial thread in a considerably broader criminal investigation.Police want individuals who might have information about the incident at Herne Bay to contact the east Kent appeals line on 01843 222289 and reference reference number 46/154682/25. The investigation is still active and is geared toward bringing those responsible to justice.
