Three men sentenced for running cannabis factory on Cambridge caravan site
Three men have been sentenced for running a cannabis factory on a Cambridge caravan site.
Officers raided the Newfields site on Fen Road in May 2017 and found 39 plants at various stages of growth in a caravan and nearby shed worth an estimated £30,000.
Inside the shed they found a ‘drying room’ where plants are harvested ready to be sold along with a set of digital scales and 118.8 grams of cannabis worth about £1,200.
Officers arrested Thomas Pateman, 54, and Tommy Brown, 34, and found a cannabis seed leaflet in Brown’s car.
Forensic officers lifted Brown’s fingerprints from bacofoil tubing, which was used to ventilate the factory, and fingerprints of Nathan Tidd, 26, on plant pots.
Tidd was arrested at his house in Haviland Way, Cambridge, on August 23 where officers also found a small amount of cannabis, a set of digital scales, a burner phone, nearly £6,500 in cash and handwritten instructions for how to grow cannabis.
Tidd’s phone was examined and messages advertising cannabis had been sent to 11 people the day previous as well as messages asking if he had any for sale.
The three men were sentenced on Monday (May 20) at Cambridge Crown Court after they stood trial and were found guilty of drugs offences.
Pateman, of Newfields, Fen Road, was jailed for three months for being concerned in the production of a controlled class B drug.
Brown, of Newfields, Fen Road, was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, for being concerned in the production of a controlled class B drug.
Tidd was sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, for being concerned in the production of a controlled class B drug.
DC Paul Evans said: “The trio were growing a substantial amount of cannabis and thanks to information received from the public we were able to catch them red-handed.
“This result demonstrates how valuable information from the public can be. If you suspect illegal drug activity in your area, please do not hesitate to contact us.”
Information about drug dealing can be reported via www.cambs.police.uk/report or by calling 101.