Moseley residents and councillor enter cannabis factory

A group of Moseley residents, with their local Councillor Martin Mullaney, this morning entered a cannabis factory - they had been complaining about the presense of this cannabis factory to the local police for the last five months.

Photographs of the interior of the house, at 53 Augusta Road, Moseley, can be seen at http://www.martinmullaney.co.uk/cannabis.htm

The house was sold in February 2006 to Mr Mutloob Hussain of 166 Belchers Lane, Bordesley Green, Birmingham B9 5RY for £225,000.

In March, one of neighbours contacted the police saying that they thought a cannabis factory was being set-up in the house - the resident had seen other cannabis factories as part of their social services job.

In early August, Councillor Martin Mullaney was contacted by one of the residents who complained about the unkempt look of the house. Further investigation by Martin led to him contacting police on the 7th August to say that he thought a cannabis factory existed inside this property.

The following things aroused his suspicions:
The curtains were stapled shut to the window frame.
Flourescent light could be permanently seen switched on around the edges of the curtains.
The sky light was permantly left open.
The hum of an electric motor would occasionally be heard from the house.
Occasional smell of cannabis from the house
The house had Chinese-origin occupants who would only be seen leaving and entering the house at night. (Other cannabis factories have been known to be run by Chinese migrants).

Councillor Mullaney was subsequently contacted by the police who agreed that the house sounded like it was been used as a cannabis factory. However, they said they would need to do a surveillence operation first, before raiding it.

This morning, Martin was contacted by one of the neighbours who complained that there had been a fight inside the house during the night, a window smashed and the front door was left wide open. They informed Martin that they had rang the police.

An hour later, the same resident rang Martin to say a group of residents had gone inside the house and seen all the cannabis plants. The resident was upset that the police hadn't turned up.

Councillor Mullaney went straight round to the house and took the photographs shown on the website. He then phoned the police, who came round in 10 minutes.