COVENTRY Police have arrested the landlord of two properties where they seized cash and drugs worth £400,000.
Officers say ‘a major drugs racket’ was busted during raids in Cheylesmore.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for West Midlands Police said: “Officers from our Binley and Willenhall team raided an address in Glover Street on September 8 and found a haul of cannabis hidden under kitchen floorboards.
“Five large holdalls were stuffed with dried cannabis bud in vacuum-packed bags, plus large bundles of cash found dotted around the house.
“Two men aged 24 and 36 – one living in Coventry and the other from London – were arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs with intent to supply.
“Later that day the landlord of the property was traced to an address in Heather Road, Binley Woods, where he was arrested for money laundering and drug supply.
“Enquiries at another property owned by the 44-year-old, in Ulverscroft Road, Coventry, led to the team discovering another stash of cannabis in the garage ready for distribution, plus around £5,000 in cash hidden under a bed.
“Two more men – aged 26 and 23 – were arrested from that address on suspicion of cannabis cultivation and immigration offences.
“The operation netted drugs and cash with a total value believed to be around £400,000.”
Sgt Deb Walker, said: “It appears we’ve disrupted a very large drugs operation with a rogue landlord suspected of using his property portfolio for drugs production and supply.
“We initially received community intelligence suggesting a property in Ulverscroft Road was being used to grow cannabis. We raided it on July 24 and found 400 cannabis plants.
“A total of seven addresses owned by the same landlord have now been searched across Coventry.
“We suspect the addresses and the drugs are linked to wider organised crime and enquiries are progressing with our gangs unit to understand the full extent of the operation.
“There is also evidence that illegal immigrants are being used and exploited to grow and package drugs.”
All of the men arrested have been released under investigation while police enquiries continue.
