Two men have been jailed following the discovery of a £360,000 cannabis factory in Warboys.

A member of the public called police on August 26 after finding two men and a cannabis factory inside their renovation property in the High Street.

Neighbourhood officers went to the scene and using descriptions of the men, located Denis Zani and Leonard Allka in the village.

At Cambridge Crown Court yesterday (September 25), Zani, 39, and Allka, 42, both of no fixed address, were sentenced to nine months in prison after pleading guilty to production of cannabis and abstracting electricity without authority.

PC Edward McAuley, who investigated, said: “There were around 300 plans inside with a street value of around £360,000. There was also clear evidence that the pair had been living inside the derelict property for some time.

“We urge members of the public to continue reporting suspicious activity to us so we can continue to tackle and dismantle cannabis factories and make clear to criminal groups that our county is a hostile environment for them in which their trade is neither welcome or tolerated.”

There are key signs to spot a property that could be being used as a cannabis factory:

  • Frequent visitors to a property at unsocial hours throughout the day and night

  • Blacked out windows or condensation on the windows, even when it is not cold outside

  • Bright lights in rooms throughout the night

  • Electricity metres being tampered with

  • A powerful, distinctive, sweet, sticky aroma and noise from fans

  • An excessive amount of plant pots, chemicals, fertilisers and compost

Anyone with information about a potential cannabis factory or drug dealing can contact police online or call 101.