Cannabis haul found by police at Newstead Abbey
9th October 2009
THE use of a helicopter helped police to find a kilo of cannabis plants at a private house in the grounds of Newstead Abbey.
Offficers who visited the historic site executed a search warrant to recover the plants, which had a street value of £10,000.
The force helicopter had earlier located an unexplained heat-source in a room at the back of the building, using a thermal-imaging camera.
The cannabis haul inside the grounds of one of Nottinghamshire's most famous buildings was the latest in a series of successful drug-raids over the past month in the policing area of Gedling borough, which also includes Bestwood Village, Papplewick and Linby.
About 200 cannabis plants were recovered and a man was arrested at an indisclosed site close to Ravenshead.
Gedling North police's local area commander, Insp Craig Nolan, stressed that any information police received would be acted on.
He added that officers had found and disposed of some cannabis production equipment during several of the raids, which would make it difficult for offenders to start up their activities again.
Police have worked closely with Gedling Borough Council, Gedling Homes and Notts County Council trading standards officers to crack down on drug dealing and anti-social behaviour.