A series of police raids has uncovered suspected cannabis factories in Armagh city and the wider district – including Newtownhamilton, Keady and Killylea – as part of a major operation against organised crime.
Detectives from the PSNI’s Organised Crime Branch, supported by Local Policing and Operational Support officers, carried out proactive searches over Sunday and Monday, June 23 and 24, across counties Armagh, Tyrone and Fermanagh.
In total, nine suspected cannabis factories were located in towns and villages including Armagh, Newtownhamilton, Keady, Killylea, Coalisland, Aughnacloy, Omagh and Clabby.
Cannabis plants with an estimated street value of around £1.1 million were seized.
Sixteen men were arrested in connection with the investigation. Fourteen were arrested on suspicion of drug-related offences linked to suspected cannabis cultivation and associated criminality, while two others were arrested on suspicion of possessing counterfeit currency.
Thirteen of those arrested remain in custody, police said. Two have been released on bail and one has been released unconditionally.
Detective Sergeant Elliott from Organised Crime Branch said many of the properties searched were rural and that the suspected grow houses were “significant in size and sophistication”.
“This would inevitably involve considerable planning, investment, and time – in terms of both establishment and maintenance,” he said.
“Illegal grow operations, of such complexity, are without doubt generating profits for criminal networks.
“Organised crime groups who exploit others, in this case through the supply of drugs, have one aim only and that’s to line their own pockets. Sadly, this often comes at the expense of vulnerable people.
“The investigation is extremely significant in terms of the number of constructions identified, the subsequent number of arrests and the volume of seizures. By identifying and shutting down the grow houses, and by making arrests, we’re helping to stop criminality in its tracks. Our investigation will, however, continue beyond today’s arrests.”
Detective Sergeant Elliott urged anyone with concerns or information about suspected drug activity to contact police on 101 or report online at www.psni.police.uk/report
Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
Details of arrests:
Armagh:
34-year-old male arrested on suspicion of:
Ø Being Concerned in the Supply of a Class B Drug
Ø Dishonestly Using Electricity
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug with Intent to supply
Ø Cultivating Cannabis
64-year-old male was arrested on suspicion of the following and has since been released on police bail
Ø Being Concerned in the Supply of a Class B Drug
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug
Ø Cultivating Cannabis
Ø Dishonestly Using Electricity
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug with Intent to Supply
Newtownhamilton:
42-year-old male arrested on suspicion of:
Ø Cultivating Cannabis
Ø Being Concerned in the Supply of a Class B Drug
Ø Dishonestly Using Electricity
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug with Intent to Supply
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug
51-year-old male arrested on suspicion of:
Ø Cultivating Cannabis
Ø Being Concerned in the Supply of a Class B Drug
Ø Dishonestly Using Electricity
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug with Intent to Supply
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug
Keady (location 1):
53-year-old male arrested on suspicion of:
Ø Cultivating Cannabis
Ø Possession of a Class B Drug with Intent to Supply
Keady (location 2):
20-year-old male arrested on suspicion of:
Ø Being Concerned in the Supply of Class B Controlled Drugs
Ø Cultivating Cannabis
Ø Dishonestly Using Electricity
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug with Intent to Supply
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug
23 year-old male arrested on suspicion of:
Ø Dishonestly Using Electricity
Ø Being Concerned in the Supply of a Class B Drug
Ø Cultivating Cannabis
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug with Intent to Supply
Coalisland:
45-year-old male arrested on suspicion of:
Ø Being Concerned in Production of Class B Controlled Drugs
Ø Cultivating Cannabis
Ø Dishonestly Using Electricity
Ø Being Concerned in Supply of Class B Controlled Drugs
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug
Ø Possession of Class B with Intent to Supply
Ballygawley:
32-year-old male arrested on suspicion of:
Ø Being Concerned in the Production of Class B (X3)
Ø Conspiracy to Supply Class B Controlled Drug (X3)
Ø Conspiracy to Cultivate Class B Controlled Drug (X3)
30-year-old male arrested on suspicion of:
Ø Being Concerned in an offer to Supply a Class B Drug
Ø Conspiracy to Cultivate Cannabis
Aughnacloy:
21-year-old male arrested on suspicion of:
Ø Cultivating Cannabis
Ø Dishonestly Using Electricity
Ø Being Concerned in Supply of Class B Controlled Drugs
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug
Ø Possession of Class B with Intent to Supply
35-year-old male and 41-year-old male both arrested on suspicion of:
Ø Possession of counterfeit currency. The 35-year-old has been released on bail; the 41-year-old has been released unconditionally.
Omagh:
30-year-old male arrested on suspicion of:
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug with Intent to Supply
Ø Bing Concerned in the Supply of a Class B Drug (X2)
Ø Cultivating Cannabis
Ø Dishonestly Using Electricity
Ø Conspiracy to Cultivate Cannabis (X3)
Ø Conspiracy to Supply a Class B Controlled Drug (X2)
Ø Being Concerned in the Production of Class B Controlled Drug (X3)
Clabby:
38-year-old male arrested on suspicion of:
Ø Being Concerned in Production of Class B Controlled Drugs
Ø Cultivating Cannabis
Ø Dishonestly Using Electricity
Ø Being Concerned in Supply of Class B Controlled Drugs
Ø Possession of a Class B Controlled Drug
Ø Possession of Class B with Intent to Supply drug
Manchester:
43-year-old male has been arrested in Manchester under Section 137A of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 for being involved in a specified offence.
