Premier League star's house taken over by gang growing 'hundreds' of cannabis plants

A Premier League footballer was left in a spot of bother after a criminal gang took over one of his homes and forced a tenant to let them grow cannabis. The drug scheme was uncovered by The Sun, with the outlet reporting that the group left a female occupant surrounded by hundreds of cannabis plants in the North West property.

Police raided the home as part of a drugs bust and forced the footballer to prove his innocence to avoid charges. Police released the tenant without charge and didn't prosecute the unnamed Premier League star as the truth behind the situation emerged, accepting that the tenant was strong handed by the gang.

A source told The Sun: “This player owns the house in the North West as part of a buy-to-let empire. Another family member manages the properties but they couldn’t believe it when cops found a large-scale cannabis farm. The plants were taken away and destroyed and the player had to show paperwork to prove that while he was the owner of the property, he had someone else living in it.”

Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, landlords who fail to report suspicions of illegal activity can face the same penalty as the crime, with rental income also able to be seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Production and possession of cannabis with the intent to supply can carry a 14-year sentence in jail.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council has said: “Organised networks involved in cannabis production are also directly linked to other serious criminality such as Class A drug importation, slavery, violence and exploitation.”

The Sun also reported that the number of cannabis farms operating in households is on the rise. More than 1,000 homes were raided in June last year with a huge £130 million of plants seized and 1,000 suspected arrested.