A man has been sentenced to over two years in prison following the discovery of a significant cannabis cultivation operation in Crewe, thanks to the use of police drone technology. Tomas Rupeikis, 47, was sentenced at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday, March 26, after pleading guilty to the cultivation of class B drugs.
The incident unfolded on January 11, when Cheshire Police utilised a drone equipped with a thermal imaging camera to survey the area around Jubilee Avenue. During the operation, officers detected unusually high levels of heat emitted from a particular property, prompting them to seek a search warrant from magistrates, which they executed that very day.
At approximately 1.20pm, officers entered the property and discovered around 44 cannabis plants on the ground floor, alongside a further 120 plants located in an upstairs area. The estimated value of the seized plants varied, falling between £13,500 and £68,500. In addition to the plants, police found that the windows and back door of the property had been barricaded with boards and foil, a common tactic used to conceal illegal grow operations.
During the warrant execution, Rupeikis was present and was promptly arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis. Authorities seized two mobile phones and approximately £210 in cash from him during the arrest. Despite being questioned, Rupeikis answered “no comment” to all inquiries and was later charged with the offence. Following legal processes, all cannabis plants discovered were destroyed.
Detective Constable Ben Harrington of CID Proactive East commented on the case, stating, "This case really does go to show that those, like Rupeikis, who are intent on cultivating and supplying illegal drugs within our county really do have nowhere to hide from our officers who seek to bring them to justice." He encouraged anyone with concerns regarding drug-related activities to report them to local neighbourhood officers.
The operation marks a continuation of efforts by Cheshire Police in tackling illegal drug cultivation and supply in the region.
Source: Noah Wire Services