Police officers acting on reports of suspicious activity have uncovered a substantial cannabis farm during a carefully planned strike in Southend.
The raid was carried out by the Southend Community Policing Team at a residential property on Redstock Road. Police officers are continuing to work at the scene as part of the investigation.
In the build-up to the raid, the property was surrounded to ensure no suspect could escape from the property. Despite this, one man attempted to flee through a rear window but was swiftly detained by officers.
Meanwhile, officers forced entry through the front door, where they discovered more than 150 cannabis plants spread across two floors and multiple rooms of the house.
The property had been entirely transformed into a sophisticated cannabis farm, equipped with specialist lighting and other cultivation equipment.
Two additional suspects were found inside the property and were also arrested. All three men – two in their 30s and one in his 20s – remain in custody on suspicion of producing cannabis.
PC Adam Edwards, from Southend Community Policing Team, explained that the successful raid was the result of ongoing intelligence gathering.
“We’d worked towards executing this warrant for quite some time, acting upon information we’d received,” said PC Edwards. “This is why it’s so important to keep in touch with us and let us know about issues like drug activity in your community. Even if you don’t see an immediate response, it’s helping us build our case and coordinate this kind of enforcement action.”
PC Edwards also highlighted the broader impact of cannabis farms, warning that they are often linked to violence, exploitation, and organised crime.
“The reality of cannabis production causes significant issues for the law-abiding community,” he continued. “This was a residential property entirely converted for use as a cannabis farm. Our inquiries are continuing, but this is another operation dismantled and shut down.”
Local residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any concerns about suspicious activity to the police.