Drugs Raid in Ely Revealed Cannabis Growing Operation

A DRUGS raid on Christmas Eve revealed a cannabis growing operation in Shaun Taylor s Ely home. Four mature cannabis plants were being reared with the help of a hydroponics system, and other drugs were found on the premises. Police also discovered drug pa

A DRUGS raid on Christmas Eve revealed a cannabis growing operation in Shaun Taylor's Ely home.

Four mature cannabis plants were being reared with the help of a hydroponics system, and other drugs were found on the premises.

Police also discovered drug paraphernalia, including a cannabis grinder, a transformer, a fan and a weighing bar, city magistrates were told on Thursday.

Taylor, 42, of Windmill Close, Ely, admitted producing cannabis by growing four plants.

He also admitted possessing two types of class A drugs, in the form of two ecstasy tablets and two tablets of 2CI - a drug similar to ecstasy.

"He told police that the cannabis was for his own use, and the tablets had been left over from a trip to Amsterdam," prosecutor Laura Mardell told city magistrates.

Mitigating, solicitor Lyndon Davies said that Taylor's guilty pleas had saved the police both time and effort.

"He has dabbled in class A drugs, in the party scene," he said. "The tablets found by police were quite old; they came from an Amsterdam trip a couple of years ago. He has not used class A drugs for more than a year.

"One of the drugs was found in a suitcase he had not used since he went to Amsterdam."

Mr Davies said the cannabis growing was "a small operation for him to produce cannabis for his own use." He added: "It was a relatively small scale and simple operation."

Taylor is a married man with a teenager daughter, and works full time on shifts.

The court ordered Taylor to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work for the community. He was fined a total of �250 with �60 costs and a �15 surcharge.

Magistrates ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and drugs paraphernalia.