Cannabis plants arrive as police raid shop

Officers raiding a shop in Lincolnshire were interrupted when a fresh delivery of cannabis plants arrived at the scene.

On 23 July, Lincolnshire Police, Trading Standards and Immigration Enforcement carried out inspections on three businesses in Grantham and one in Bourne.

During a raid in Grantham, police said a delivery of cannabis plants arrived while officers were on site. The plants were seized.

Sgt Lee Mayfield said the aim of the operation was to "take action against a range of offences, disrupt those involved and help keep our communities safe".

Officers uncovered suspected illegal cigarettes and cannabis vapes, hidden inside a large rucksack stored in a vehicle near a shop in Bourne.

One of the shop workers was found with a key to the vehicle, the force said. The products were seized by Trading Standards for further investigation.

After raiding one of the shops in Grantham, police said immigration officers arrested two males, one from Pakistan and one from Afghanistan.

The force also said a civil penalty referral notice had been issued to a store in Grantham for illegally employing one of the males.

Alex McGonigle, executive councillor for community safety at Lincolnshire County Council, said businesses targeted by Trading Standards were 14 times more likely to sell vapes to people under the age of 18 than legitimate shops.

McGonigle said there had also been an increase in vapes containing cannabis and the council was working with schools to help young people identify them.

According to the police, cannabis vapes are illegal and could contain unknown ingredients, including harmful chemicals.

McGonigle said: "Not only do these rogue shops impact hardworking law-abiding businesses which cannot compete on an equal footing, they also have serious consequences for people's safety, especially that of our young people."

He encouraged anyone with concerns about the sale of illegal tobacco or fake vapes to report it to police.

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