Cannabis farm discovered in quiet suburb

A CANNABIS farm was discovered in a house in a quiet Edinburgh suburb yesterday.

Last night, police were on standby to remove hundreds of plants from the semi-detached house near Corstorphine, in the west of the city.

The power supply to the house in Clerwood Park, which had been altered to grow the plants, had to be made safe by electricity officials before police could enter the premises.

About three cannabis farms are uncovered by police each week in Edinburgh, and over 1.5 million worth of plants were seized between April and the end of last year. Criminals from China, Malaysia and Vietnam are said to be behind the majority of the drug operations.

Neighbours said the house had been occupied by a young Chinese man and woman. One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "They didn't speak any English and some of us used to wonder how on earth they could afford the rent.

"Some of us had joked about how they were probably growing cannabis," said the neighbour. "They kept themselves to themselves."

Another neighbour said: "I can't say I'm surprised, these things happen everywhere."