Gainsborough: A call to the police about a suspected burglary revealed a secret cannbis growing operation

Police officers called out to investigate a suspected burglary discovered a secret cannabis growing operation, Lincoln Crown Court was told.
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Officers were sent to an address in Frampton Terrace, Gainsborough, following reports of a smashed window.

Edna Leonard, prosecuting, said when officers arrived at the terraced house they arrested a man on suspicion of burglary.

The property was searched and two of the upstairs bedrooms were found to have been converted for cannabis growing.

Miss Leonard said “The electricity supply had been bypassed.”

“The front bedroom walls had been lined with silver foil.”

“There were fans, heat lamps and filters.”

“The rear bedroom had been decked out in a similar fashion.”

“In the kitchen there were a number of dealer bags with a cannabis leaf motif on the front.”

Miss Leonard said that bags containing vegetable matter was found in a second floor bedroom along with buckets, plant food, compost and silver foil.

A total of 20 cannabis plants were found in the property.

Vitalijs Kupreiciks, who lived at the house, was later interviewed and admitted growing cannabis saying it was for his own use.

Kupreiciks, 25, now of Victoria Close, Gainsborough, admitted illegal production of cannabis as a result of the police search carried out on 25th May.

He was given a 12 month jail sentence suspended for 18 months with 200 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge.

Caroline Bradley, defending, said Kupreiciks began using cannabis after arriving in the UK six years ago,.

She said that initially he was working and able to pay for his drugs but after losing his job decided to grow his own.

Miss Bradley said: “He perhaps didn’t realise the seriousness of what he was doing.”

“Looking on the internet he found cannabis was easily available as was the information about how to grow it.”

Miss Bradley added that since his arrest Kupreiciks has sought help for his drug problem and has already heavily cut back on his use of cannabis.