Two arrested as large cannabis stash found

Two arrests were made by police when they swooped on a flat in Staffordshire and found a large stash of cannabis.

Officers led by Chief Constable Mike Cunningham broke down the door to an apartment on Hollins Drive off the Newport Road in Stafford as part of Operation Nemesis.

It followed tip-offs from members of the public. In the flat, police found two pit bull-type terrier dogs and had to use use water from a fire extinguisher to calm one of them before arresting a man and a woman.

Police believe the cannabis was being harvested with intent to be supplied to others.

Officers emerged from the top-floor flat with six small bags of cannabis. No street value has yet been estimated for the drugs, officers added.

Mike Cunningham, Chief Constable of Staffordshire Police, said he went on the raid with his officers to remind himself of the kind of operations carried out by the force.

"It's important for me to come out and remind myself of some of the tactics they use and deploy," he said.

"Without doubt the reason we are here today follows good intelligence from members of the community.

"We executed a warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Two big dogs were controlled and officers have conducted a methodical search of the property, with there being evidence of cannabis misuse."

Mr Cunningham confirmed that officers were trained to deal with any potential aggression from dogs.

"If there are dangerous dogs we use dominance and control techniques to face down the dog," he said.

Before the raid at 7.40am yesterday, officers gathered at Stafford police station in Eastgate Street for an early morning briefing.

A 19-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man arrested under the Misuse of Drugs Act have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.