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2:42pm Monday 6th July 2009
CANNABIS with a street value of more than £650,000 has been seized by police waging a war against organised crime in Southampton.
The drug has been in mass production in homes across the city which have been transformed into makeshift factories.
A total of 20 converted houses, each with three or four bedrooms, have been uncovered in the past three months with drugs at all levels of cultivation found inside.
Each has been transformed, with most rooms stripped out to aid the growing process.
In many cases, floorboards have been lifted in order to gain access to the electricity supply which is clamped in a bid to bypass the circuit and therefore not generate unusual bills running into thousands of pounds.
Vietnamese gangs are thought to be behind most of the operations – renting out the homes and paying up in advance before transforming them using special lighting and blackout equipment on the windows.
In most cases, a “gardener” is usually put in place to tend to the crop and look after the plants. Police believe they are mostly young Vietnamese nationals who have been illegally trafficked into the city.
It’s thought Southampton is being targeted – in the past it has been referred to as the cannabis capital of the south – because of the large number of available rented property.
The latest factories were uncovered during dawn raids in the Shirley area and led to the discovery of £150,000 worth of the drug.
The properties, one in Old Mill Way, and the other in Foundry Lane, were semi-detached three and four bedroom homes.
Det Sgt Lee Macarthur, leading the crackdown called Operation Closed, urged members of the public to be vigilant, saying cannabis factories posed a dangerous risk.
He said: “They are associated with organised gang crime, and have previously been responsible for fires and power surges, all of which can impact on neighbouring addresses.
“It should also be remembered that cannabis factories could be imprisoning vulnerable people.
People trafficked to the UK for such purposes are often kept in poor conditions and prevented from contacting their families.”
He continued: “Operation Closed is all about reinforcing the message that Southampton is closed to drug production and drug dealing. Its success so far proves that this city is dedicated to fighting against illegal drugs and the devastating effects they bring.”
DETECTIVES today urged residents to continue to help the fight against mass scale cannabis production.
Having already received calls that have led to raids and the dismantling of such factories, they called for people to report suspicious properties or activity in their street.
Det Sgt Macarthur said: “Your information is helping us in our fight against cannabis factories and catching those people responsible for bringing drugs into your area.
“Landlords and property managers should continue being extra vigilant when taking on new tenants, and remain aware of what’s going on inside their premises. It is an offence to knowingly allow drug production to take place in a property you own or manage and carry a jail term of up to 14 years.”
Things to look out for include closed/blacked out windows, powerful lights left on in the house throughout the night, a strong and pungent smell, vehicles coming and going at night, unkempt gardens and no occupants seen during the daytime.
Anyone with any information or suspicions about drug production taking place at a property can contact the Drugs Investigation Team at Hulse Road on 0845 045 45 45 or Crimestoppers the charity, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
COOPER PIKEY, Coxford says...
3:20pm Mon 6 Jul 09
Shoong, Winchester says...
3:21pm Mon 6 Jul 09
southy wrote:I agree.
if you want to kill the trade, then legalize it.
typical echo reader,, says...
3:37pm Mon 6 Jul 09
southy, redbridge says...
3:51pm Mon 6 Jul 09
typical echo reader, wrote:if you never taken it before, then how would you know its has nothing to offer and thats it evil.
Having never taken cannabis myself, I feel I am in a good position to say that it is evil and has nothing to offer. Knock down all cannabis factories and build ice rinks on them, fining the unemployed users infinity billion pounds as well. Also, more free policemen
typical echo reader,, says...
3:57pm Mon 6 Jul 09
southy wrote:Re-read my username
typical echo reader, wrote:if you never taken it before, then how would you know its has nothing to offer and thats it evil.
Having never taken cannabis myself, I feel I am in a good position to say that it is evil and has nothing to offer. Knock down all cannabis factories and build ice rinks on them, fining the unemployed users infinity billion pounds as well. Also, more free policemen
southy, redbridge says...
4:12pm Mon 6 Jul 09
typical echo reader,, says...
4:16pm Mon 6 Jul 09
southy wrote:dear oh dear the people on these forums have no sense whatsoever of subtlety nor do they like to admit they'd jumped to a false conclusion
so you read the echo, but then so do i. has for the typical part your are surmising.
southy, redbridge says...
4:19pm Mon 6 Jul 09
typical echo reader,, says...
4:21pm Mon 6 Jul 09
southy wrote:not about to be told "make yourself clearer" by the most illiterate poster on the boards, thankyouverymuch
make your self just a bit more clearer.
image off a old fuddy duddy.
southy, redbridge says...
4:25pm Mon 6 Jul 09
typical echo reader, wrote:well i have an excuss.
southy wrote:not about to be told "make yourself clearer" by the most illiterate poster on the boards, thankyouverymuch
make your self just a bit more clearer.
image off a old fuddy duddy.
If you can't work out that the opinions I express are not actually mine, just that of the group-think reactionaries of the board, you're miles behind
southy, redbridge says...
4:40pm Mon 6 Jul 09
typical echo reader,, says...
4:46pm Mon 6 Jul 09
southy wrote:I don't need an excuse. I'm both gestalt and abstract
nope just bored waiting. for some one to get back so i can enjoy the rain.
so whats your excuse
lasoton, Southampton says...
5:04pm Mon 6 Jul 09
King Mush, Woolston says...
5:31pm Mon 6 Jul 09
Vconfused, Romsey says...
5:31pm Mon 6 Jul 09
cygnus, Southampton says...
5:53pm Mon 6 Jul 09
Tye-Dye, Veil Nebula says...
6:09pm Mon 6 Jul 09
southy, redbridge says...
6:25pm Mon 6 Jul 09
Vconfused wrote:alcohol is a bigger danger than cannabis.
Er, yes. Would you support someone robbing a bank, or a little old lady because they have no money? Where would that argument end?
Cannabis shouldn't be legalised - the govt has recently increased it back to a class B because of the long term psychological effects on user, especially teenagers.
squidgy fidgey, eastleigh says...
6:28pm Mon 6 Jul 09
typical echo reader,, says...
6:30pm Mon 6 Jul 09
Tye-Dye wrote:'Shrooms! Natural as weed.
Bummer!!
That looks like a good stash, makes your eyes go red just thinking about it, what a waste, oh well plenty more where that came from, the party pooping old bill will never stop us, nor will the B.O.F's pontificating on here about its evils, oh and that its a gateway....yawn!
Its a plant, no chemicals in it, what other intoxicator out there has that claim?
Nothing!
So, I will carry on smoking, as I have for 25 years, with no desire to touch any other chemical enhanced drug, that includes alcohol(the most deadly drug known to man).
But thanks for the advice!
sw= sure-good....not arf!!
typical echo reader,, says...
6:37pm Mon 6 Jul 09
southy wrote:Indeed. One of the tactics used to scare the public about this natural produce was that it was "A plot by ginger-haired niggers to undermine society by spreading addiction". Nice tolerant, enlightened people, obviously
Vconfused wrote:alcohol is a bigger danger than cannabis.
Er, yes. Would you support someone robbing a bank, or a little old lady because they have no money? Where would that argument end?
Cannabis shouldn't be legalised - the govt has recently increased it back to a class B because of the long term psychological effects on user, especially teenagers.
alcohol dehydrates the blood. knock on affect is dehydration off the brain cells, damaging or killing the brain cell beyond repair. it also damages your liver, kidneys, lungs, stomach wall lining, and other parts internal organs. and out off the 2 drugs alcohol is the worse one. cannabis is a pacifier, where has alcohol is a aggressor in people behavior.
to find out why cannabis was banned in the first place, you aft to go back to the 1920's.
in the 1920's the hemp farmers came up with an idea to use the left overs to make a bio diesel fuel and at the same time the biggest oil companys develope nylon, the oil companys went to the usa government and many more around the world and paid out big back handers to the governments a round the world to get hemp banned and hemp farmers to stop growing it. the oil companys also paid for the propagander films to be made to show round the world, whitch told a lie to the world. a lie that is still belived by many to this day. while this hemp prohibition law still remains all it doing is the same thing has the alcohol prohibition did in the usa, and that was make the mafia very powerfull while there is a great demand and it remains banned then you will get such type off gangs, and never be able to get the people at the very top. and the only way to combat it is to legalize it. this one act would kill off such gangs, because people will be able to buy it across the counter or grow it for them selfs.
Tye-Dye, Veil Nebula says...
6:55pm Mon 6 Jul 09
typical echo reader,, says...
6:58pm Mon 6 Jul 09
dannyep, southampton says...
7:27pm Mon 6 Jul 09
typical echo reader,, says...
7:34pm Mon 6 Jul 09
dannyep wrote:This post was brought to you by the word "apologist"
More 'its harmless' cannabis apologists. It IS addictive. Its been proven to cause psycosis,depression and anxiety,among other things. People prone to schitzophrenia are far more likely to develop symptons having smoked cannabis. Most of these findings were proven with people who smoked the 'ordinary cannabis' of 12-15 years ago. These new strains of super strong cannabis are a different league. There causing a genuine mental health crisis among this generation of smokers.
By the way I smoked it heavily from first thing in the morning to last thing at night for many many years unaware of the dangers thanks to uninformed apologists. Stopping was one of the hardest but best things ive ever done.
And the cancer statistics dont bear thinking about.
soton1980, Southampton/Winchester/Fareham says...
7:44pm Mon 6 Jul 09
Vconfused wrote:Cannabis should be lagalised to stop organised gangs from profiting.
Er, yes. Would you support someone robbing a bank, or a little old lady because they have no money? Where would that argument end?
Cannabis shouldn't be legalised - the govt has recently increased it back to a class B because of the long term psychological effects on user, especially teenagers.
typical echo reader,, says...
7:51pm Mon 6 Jul 09
Yes, there are scientific claims that it can lead to users going onto harder drugs
Tye-Dye, Veil Nebula says...
7:57pm Mon 6 Jul 09
dannyep, southampton says...
8:02pm Mon 6 Jul 09
typical echo reader, wrote:No chemicals? What are you talking about. I can tell you for a fact that any grower worth his salt puts countless different chemicals in the nutrient mix (plant feed) Messing around mixing these noxious chemicals is the most labourious job of the day for any grower. They are supposed to 'flush' these out with water over the final few days but most commercial growers dont cos it eats into growing time.
Tye-Dye wrote: Bummer!! That looks like a good stash, makes your eyes go red just thinking about it, what a waste, oh well plenty more where that came from, the party pooping old bill will never stop us, nor will the B.O.F's pontificating on here about its evils, oh and that its a gateway....yawn! Its a plant, no chemicals in it, what other intoxicator out there has that claim? Nothing! So, I will carry on smoking, as I have for 25 years, with no desire to touch any other chemical enhanced drug, that includes alcohol(the most deadly drug known to man). But thanks for the advice! sw= sure-good....not arf!!'Shrooms! Natural as weed.
southy, redbridge says...
8:08pm Mon 6 Jul 09
dannyep wrote:can i correct you on a little matter, smoking hemp is not addictive, but how ever if you mix it with tobacco, then it would be because tobacco has that effect, smoking pure cannabis is not.
More 'its harmless' cannabis apologists. It IS addictive. Its been proven to cause psycosis,depression and anxiety,among other things. People prone to schitzophrenia are far more likely to develop symptons having smoked cannabis. Most of these findings were proven with people who smoked the 'ordinary cannabis' of 12-15 years ago. These new strains of super strong cannabis are a different league. There causing a genuine mental health crisis among this generation of smokers.
By the way I smoked it heavily from first thing in the morning to last thing at night for many many years unaware of the dangers thanks to uninformed apologists. Stopping was one of the hardest but best things ive ever done.
And the cancer statistics dont bear thinking about.
dannyep, southampton says...
8:10pm Mon 6 Jul 09
Tye-Dye wrote:Fair enough. but I was'nt aware of that then and nor are many of todays youngsters now. And the addictive nature of cannabis was also a factor. All im saying is, lets have the proper facts in the open and people can make thier own informed decisions. Your lucky that you can enjoy cannabis in the way that you do. A significant proportion of others cannot.
Sorry danny but you answered your own issues with the herb in your 2nd paragraph, the most idiotic, stupid thing to do with the herb is to smoke it all day & night, only mongs do that, the rest of us hold down good jobs, contribute to our local community, and you wouldnt know we where tokers if you tried. So, for every apologist, there's always a anti-brigade member, willing to enlighten us, but your experience is your fault, you reached for the secret too soon, patience is required, and as it is with any inoxicator, moderation is the key, then its benefits can be enjoyed. Just getting rat @rsed from dusk till dawn is frankly idiotic, far more to life mate. P.S, cancer statistics???? Shall we discuss nicottine? Probably best not eh?
dannyep, southampton says...
8:20pm Mon 6 Jul 09
southy wrote:Can I correct you. Smoking cannabis is not 'physicly addictive.' This is a specific scientific term that means the phycical symptoms of addiction have not yet been recorded and proven (as in the shakes and sweats with heroin and alcohol) But it is psycologicly addictive. To say cannabis is not addictive in those terms is to say gambling is not addictive either, as this also lacks proven and recorded physical symptoms but the psycological addiction is obvious.
dannyep wrote: More 'its harmless' cannabis apologists. It IS addictive. Its been proven to cause psycosis,depression and anxiety,among other things. People prone to schitzophrenia are far more likely to develop symptons having smoked cannabis. Most of these findings were proven with people who smoked the 'ordinary cannabis' of 12-15 years ago. These new strains of super strong cannabis are a different league. There causing a genuine mental health crisis among this generation of smokers. By the way I smoked it heavily from first thing in the morning to last thing at night for many many years unaware of the dangers thanks to uninformed apologists. Stopping was one of the hardest but best things ive ever done. And the cancer statistics dont bear thinking about.can i correct you on a little matter, smoking hemp is not addictive, but how ever if you mix it with tobacco, then it would be because tobacco has that effect, smoking pure cannabis is not. secondly there is plenty off research to show what affect alcohol has to the brain once it killed a few brain cells (schitzophrenic and other things), is a side effect off alcohol, the main problem with the research and its still the same they do not split up the groups off those that drink alcohol and smoke the weed.
Tye-Dye, Veil Nebula says...
8:26pm Mon 6 Jul 09
squidgy fidgey, eastleigh says...
8:30pm Mon 6 Jul 09
typical echo reader,, says...
8:33pm Mon 6 Jul 09
dannyep wrote:Lol who smokes solids anyway? Noob. Boring fact is boring
typical echo reader, wrote:No chemicals? What are you talking about. I can tell you for a fact that any grower worth his salt puts countless different chemicals in the nutrient mix (plant feed) Messing around mixing these noxious chemicals is the most labourious job of the day for any grower. They are supposed to 'flush' these out with water over the final few days but most commercial growers dont cos it eats into growing time.
Tye-Dye wrote: Bummer!! That looks like a good stash, makes your eyes go red just thinking about it, what a waste, oh well plenty more where that came from, the party pooping old bill will never stop us, nor will the B.O.F's pontificating on here about its evils, oh and that its a gateway....yawn! Its a plant, no chemicals in it, what other intoxicator out there has that claim? Nothing! So, I will carry on smoking, as I have for 25 years, with no desire to touch any other chemical enhanced drug, that includes alcohol(the most deadly drug known to man). But thanks for the advice! sw= sure-good....not arf!!'Shrooms! Natural as weed.
I suppose your gonna tell me that the plastic infused diesel smelling crap 'rocky' of the last 10 years is free of chemicals as well
typical echo reader,, says...
8:35pm Mon 6 Jul 09
Tye-Dye wrote:Good post, TD! Drug abusers are giving drug users a bad name
Sorry danny but you answered your own issues with the herb in your 2nd paragraph, the most idiotic, stupid thing to do with the herb is to smoke it all day & night, only mongs do that, the rest of us hold down good jobs, contribute to our local community, and you wouldnt know we where tokers if you tried.
So, for every apologist, there's always a anti-brigade member, willing to enlighten us, but your experience is your fault, you reached for the secret too soon, patience is required, and as it is with any inoxicator, moderation is the key, then its benefits can be enjoyed.
Just getting rat @rsed from dusk till dawn is frankly idiotic, far more to life mate.
P.S, cancer statistics???? Shall we discuss nicottine?
Probably best not eh?
dannyep, southampton says...
8:54pm Mon 6 Jul 09
Tye-Dye wrote:Tye Dye, if you are into gardening with fertilisers but no other chemicals I suggest you still 'flush' your plants with pure water for 5 days or so (or at least as long as you can resist) it will dry more evenly smoke more smoothly and taste much better.If you can smoke without any of the adverse effects i spoke of then happy toking and good luck to ya.
danny, I'm not having a pop at you, you and countless others have done the "lets get splattered all day thing" and then faced the consequences, which is usually a long climb back to normality. But, as you say, you didnt have the right advice at the time, I just took it as read that if I wanted to function I took it easy. And, as you rightfully said, if you want to buy off some geezer, who you probably dont really know, then you are going to get crap herb, however, if you grow your own, you know for a fact there are no chemicals, also you get into gardening, no bad thing surely?? TDER, I was born in 67, the summer of love & all that, so it's in the blood, tye-dye's coming back, its the new paisley, trust me :)
The Mad Dog, is not Barking, says...
9:03pm Mon 6 Jul 09
typical echo reader, wrote:You ARE wrong, druggie scumbag!
Tye-Dye wrote:Good post, TD! Drug abusers are giving drug users a bad name
Sorry danny but you answered your own issues with the herb in your 2nd paragraph, the most idiotic, stupid thing to do with the herb is to smoke it all day & night, only mongs do that, the rest of us hold down good jobs, contribute to our local community, and you wouldnt know we where tokers if you tried.
So, for every apologist, there's always a anti-brigade member, willing to enlighten us, but your experience is your fault, you reached for the secret too soon, patience is required, and as it is with any inoxicator, moderation is the key, then its benefits can be enjoyed.
Just getting rat @rsed from dusk till dawn is frankly idiotic, far more to life mate.
P.S, cancer statistics???? Shall we discuss nicottine?
Probably best not eh?
Prove me wrong
IanRRR, N Baddesley says...
9:11pm Mon 6 Jul 09
typical echo reader,, says...
9:14pm Mon 6 Jul 09
IanRRR wrote:Pusher? FFS get some education, you plum! It's weed, not bl00dy heroin! Yeh yeh, you'll be saying, "it's all the same", but truth is, you haven't got a clue what you're talking about
Thanks to all you guys. Supporting those lovely pushers. Such nice people. They have never done a days work in their lives. Never had to, thanks to all you brain dead user-losers. Wake up everybody!
Oh, and Southy thinks its a great idea to tombstone at Redbridge too!!!!
typical, echo reader, ? says...
9:44pm Mon 6 Jul 09
The Mad Dog, is not Barking wrote:I must stop calling myself “The Mad Dog.” when the real one has no full stop. Sorry everyone.
IanRRR wrote: Thanks to all you guys. Supporting those lovely pushers. Such nice people. They have never done a days work in their lives. Never had to, thanks to all you brain dead user-losers. Wake up everybody! Oh, and Southy thinks its a great idea to tombstone at Redbridge too!!!!BLATANT NIGRA
The Mad Dog, is not Barking, says...
9:52pm Mon 6 Jul 09
southy, redbridge says...
10:24pm Mon 6 Jul 09
IanRRR wrote:ianRRR tombstoning just dont happen in hampshire, you would need to travel to yorkshire, and if you ever saw the bridge thats got the nick name tombstone bridge you would under stand why, its a suicide bridge, where people who are going to take there life's you land in to rapids, where has with redbridge road bridge your landing into a very deep hole, its that deep you could put a double decker bus in that hole and still not see the roof off the bus. so please before commenting again please look up the facts, with redbridge it be easy just get diver's gear because you would need it if you wanted to get to the bottom of that hole.
Thanks to all you guys. Supporting those lovely pushers. Such nice people. They have never done a days work in their lives. Never had to, thanks to all you brain dead user-losers. Wake up everybody!
Oh, and Southy thinks its a great idea to tombstone at Redbridge too!!!!
cygnus, Southampton says...
11:26pm Mon 6 Jul 09
dannyep wrote:Totally agree with Dannyep anyone who knows, knows to flush and dehydrate the plant before harvest time.
Tye-Dye wrote:Tye Dye, if you are into gardening with fertilisers but no other chemicals I suggest you still 'flush' your plants with pure water for 5 days or so (or at least as long as you can resist) it will dry more evenly smoke more smoothly and taste much better.If you can smoke without any of the adverse effects i spoke of then happy toking and good luck to ya.
danny, I'm not having a pop at you, you and countless others have done the "lets get splattered all day thing" and then faced the consequences, which is usually a long climb back to normality. But, as you say, you didnt have the right advice at the time, I just took it as read that if I wanted to function I took it easy. And, as you rightfully said, if you want to buy off some geezer, who you probably dont really know, then you are going to get crap herb, however, if you grow your own, you know for a fact there are no chemicals, also you get into gardening, no bad thing surely?? TDER, I was born in 67, the summer of love & all that, so it's in the blood, tye-dye's coming back, its the new paisley, trust me :)
Hope im not teaching a granny to such eggs here.
IanRRR, N Baddesley says...
12:57am Tue 7 Jul 09
southy wrote:Fair play.
IanRRR wrote: Thanks to all you guys. Supporting those lovely pushers. Such nice people. They have never done a days work in their lives. Never had to, thanks to all you brain dead user-losers. Wake up everybody! Oh, and Southy thinks its a great idea to tombstone at Redbridge too!!!!ianRRR tombstoning just dont happen in hampshire, you would need to travel to yorkshire, and if you ever saw the bridge thats got the nick name tombstone bridge you would under stand why, its a suicide bridge, where people who are going to take there life's you land in to rapids, where has with redbridge road bridge your landing into a very deep hole, its that deep you could put a double decker bus in that hole and still not see the roof off the bus. so please before commenting again please look up the facts, with redbridge it be easy just get diver's gear because you would need it if you wanted to get to the bottom of that hole.
The Grey Mystery, Shirley says...
10:57am Tue 7 Jul 09
stmarysmush, literally, says...
11:22am Tue 7 Jul 09
The Grey Mystery wrote:What are you on about? Nobody's given any personal information out in here
those of you who have so much knowledge of drugs and cultivation seem to have given out an awful lot of information about yourselves and your habits,----- expect a visit, probably from one of our newly empowered traffic wardens,--- sorry, stormtroopers,
southy, redbridge says...
12:13pm Wed 8 Jul 09
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southy, redbridge says...
3:15pm Mon 6 Jul 09