Man jailed for cannabis production in Mablethorpe

Robert Ndreu of no fixed address appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on Wednesday morning (April 30), accoridng to Lincolnshire Police.

The 36-year-old pleaded guilty to the production of cannabis and was immediately sentenced to 18 months in prison.

In a statement after the hearing, the force said Ndreu was arrested on Monday March 24 after a large-scale cannabis grow was discovered by officers during a warrant on Enterprise Road in the seasisde town.

The Neighbourhood Policing Team in Skegness and Mablethorpe, along with officers from the Tactical Support Team (TST) conducted a search of the disused warehouse and found hundreds of cannabis plants measuring between three to four feet tall. A warrant was obtained after officers received intelligence there was suspected drug production activity inside the warehouse.

Police say nine rooms inside the warehouse contained plants in various stages of growth. After further inspection of the building, it was discovered that the electricity supply into the building was bypassed, with additional cables leading to large extractor fans.

Approximately 294 plants were found, with the street value at the time of seizure believed to be approximately £250,000, said police.

Inspector Jacky Evans said: "We remain committed to tackling drugs-related issues in our coastal towns, and we will keep bringing offenders to justice, just as we have in this case. We’d like to thank our communities for being our eyes and ears and for providing valuable information so that we can effectively target and tackle issues that matter most to them.

“We’d like to encourage people to keep reporting suspicious activity, and any other activity that disrupts our communities so that we can take appropriate action and continue to keep Lincolnshire the safest place to live, work and visit.”