A man has been arrested and hundreds of cannabis plants seized from a drugs factory in Southampton this morning (Tuesday 19 November).

Shortly after 8am officers carried out a warrant in connection with drug production and supply at a property on St Mary Street.

Around 750 cannabis plants were found inside the address, all in various stages of growth.

A 24-year-old man from Southampton has been arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis. He remains in police custody at the current time.  

We remain at the property today carrying out enquiries and ensuring that it is secured and made safe alongside our SSE colleagues.

Warrants such as this one disrupt the supply of drugs in Southampton and the wider county. The reason we take the production of cannabis on this scale so seriously is because it is often linked to organised crime gangs, who often take advantage of vulnerable people and are likely to engage in very serious violence.

The electrical requirement to grow this many plants is also really dangerous and can be a huge fire risk, putting neighbouring properties and lives in danger.

If you think there is drug-related activity taking place in your neighbourhood, please call us. It helps us build a better intelligence picture and target those who are supplying drugs to our communities.

We would also urge landlords to regularly check their properties, as dangerous alterations to electrics and the structure of a building are often made to grow cannabis, which can lead to significant costs for them.

If you see anything suspicious, please report it to us immediately.

You can call us on 101 or report information via our website: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/

You can also make reports 100& anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or by visiting https://crimestoppers-uk.org/