Four arrested as more than 500 cannabis plants shredded in broad daylight on Colchester high street

Greater than 500 hashish vegetation had been seized after which shredded in broad daylight following a police raid on a suspected medication manufacturing unit in a bustling city centre. 

Excessive avenue customers in Colchester, Essex had been left surprised as officers stormed a flat above a café and introduced dozens of lamps, bulbs and cables out onto the pavement.

Giant crowds gathered round as Essex Police used petrol-powered shredders to slice up the hashish vegetation for his or her public spectacle.

Officers determined to destroy the medication on the excessive avenue because of the massive quantity of vegetation concerned and to restrict the potential ‘affect on visitors’.  

Shocked customers reported the potent odor of hashish within the air and spoke of their shock at discovering there had been a medicine manufacturing unit beneath their noses all alongside.

4 folks have since been arrested on suspicion of a string of medication costs, together with two males who appeared earlier than Colchester Magistrates’ Court docket yesterday. 

Giant crowds collect round on Colchester Excessive Road as Essex Police used petrol-powered shredders to slice up round 500 hashish vegetation for his or her public spectacle

4 folks have since been arrested on suspicion of a string of medication costs, together with two males who appeared earlier than Colchester Magistrates’ Court docket yesterday. Pictured: Contained in the suspected drug manufacturing unit

Police found the hashish manufacturing unit at 3pm on Tuesday and initially arrested 4 males on suspicion of hashish cultivation.

Phong Nguyen, 22, and Tam Nguyen, 26, each of no mounted abode, had been charged with producing a Class B drug and appeared in Colchester Magistrates’ Court docket yesterday.

A 39-year-old man stays in custody, whereas a 58-year-old man has been launched beneath investigation. 

Medicine paraphernalia, together with massive warmth lamps, bulbs and prolonged cables had been dumped in bins on the pavement. 

Essex Police mentioned on social media: ‘Because of the location, quantity of the vegetation and potential affect on excessive avenue visitors ought to we’ve opted to move the vegetation away from the scene, it was determined the vegetation can be shredded on web site.’

Martin Byle, who was out looking for jewelry, mentioned: ‘Medicine have gotten to be produced someplace I suppose.

‘However I’m shocked they’ve been discovered within the Excessive Road.

‘I’ve sons who’ve been round that tradition by means of school and college so you already know it’s on the market.

‘You’ve got to have some entrance to try this however typically doing it beneath folks’s noses is one of the simplest ways as a result of no person expects it – it’s attention-grabbing.’

Officers determined to destroy the medication on the excessive avenue because of the massive quantity of vegetation concerned and to mitigate any potential ‘affect on visitors’

Contained in the flat the place the suspected hashish growers are alleged to have lived

Sofya Myakoshina, operations supervisor of The George lodge, situated reverse the drug den, mentioned she was surprised.

‘We had been all very shocked that one thing like this might occur proper beneath our noses.

‘Judging by the images they’ve been there for a very long time – if nothing else, it offers us a little bit bit of pleasure.’

One other shopper mentioned: ‘I am gobsmacked, I truly thought somebody had been murdered.

‘I may do with one of many heaters although, as a result of it is freezing the place I stay. I used to know individuals who would smoke this type of stuff and it is simply horrible.’