The big picture: Officers from Suffolk Police's Sentinel South team discovered 158 cannabis plants at different growth stages during a raid on 19 August, suggesting a carefully planned long-term operation designed for regular harvesting.
Why it matters: The setup, which police estimate could produce between 4.4kg and 13.2kg of cannabis, had a potential street value ranging from £17,000 to £80,000.
The details: Jani Murati, 37, of no fixed abode but from the Ipswich area, was caught using a ladder to access the converted loft space when officers entered the Ann Beaumont Way property
Three upstairs rooms had been modified for cannabis production
The loft had been divided into two additional growing areas
Officers seized cash, a mobile phone and cultivation equipment
What's next: Following his guilty plea at Ipswich Magistrates Court on 20 August, Murati was sentenced to 10 months in jail at Ipswich Crown Court on 25 November.
The court also ordered:
Destruction of all cannabis plants
Confiscation of £538 in cash
Seizure of a mobile phone and growing equipment
Bottom line: This sophisticated operation shows how residential properties are being converted into professional-scale drug production facilities, with criminals using multiple rooms and spaces to maximise yields.
