Man arrested following drugs bust in Stowmarket

A man has been arrested following a drugs bust in Stowmarket today, Tuesday January 19.

A warrant was conducted and a 45-year-old man from Haughley was arrested on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis and possession with intent to supply – other than Class A.

Within the property approximately 300 plants were found, along with a box of prepared cannabis, with an estimated street value of approximately £10,000.

He currently remains in Bury Police Investigation Centre.

The arrest was part of a multi-agency pro-active day of disruption across Suffolk, targeting those who commit all forms of criminality, has resulted in twelve warrants being conducted, eleven arrests and 39 vehicles being checked.

Operation Platoon saw officers from Suffolk and Norfolk Roads Policing and Firearms Unit, the Dog Unit, Scorpion Central Team and Response officers joined by partner agencies including Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Trading Standards and HM Revenue & Customs carry out vehicle and passenger checks at the A14/A140 Beacon Hill Services in Coddenham.

At the road check at Beacon Hill services, 39 vehicles were escorted to the site between 8.30am and 3.30pm today:

- Five vehicles were clear of any offences.

- Four were issued with immediate prohibitions, taking them off the road.

- Eleven vehicles were given delayed prohibitions – with faults to be rectified as soon as possible.

- 23 advisory notices were issued.

- HMRC took dip samples from 27 tanks, with one positive for red diesel and a rebated fuel fine of £535 paid.

- Trading Standards issued seven advice notices to traders.

- Police issued traffic offence reports to two people for having no insurance, 11 people for driving while using a mobile phone and six people for driving a vehicle with no MoT.

- Two vehicles were seized as the drivers had no insurance and three vehicle defect notification forms issued.

- Officers also dealt with one vehicle with an incorrect index mark, one with a defective tyre and reported one vehicle to the DVLA as the driver had no tax.

- There were also more than 50 drugs searches, via the passive drugs dogs and officers searching individuals and vehicles, and a small amount of a controlled substance was seized and one person reported for summons.