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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Smell of drugs at Broadfield house alerted police to electrician's cannabis factory
Thisissussex: Crawley News Saturday 03 Dec 2011 Paul Donati, from Jersey Road in Broadfield, has also been ordered to pay back £76,000 of drug money. The 34-year-old was caught after police officers became suspicious of the smell coming from the house while on a routine patrol. He was sentenced last Friday at Hove Crown Court, having pleaded guilty to cannabis production, possession and supply. Donati has been given six months to pay back the £76,000. His partner Claire Miller, 31, pleaded guilty to allowing the house to be used for cannabis production. She was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid community work. The police raid took place in November 2009, which George Smith, who lives on Jersey Road, remembers well. He said: "You don't know what goes on behind closed doors, do you? This always seems like a fairly peaceful area, it's a nice road." Neighbour Martin Hunt was stunned to discover there had been a cannabis factory in their street. He said: "I'm surprised that was going on round here. Everyone does their own thing on this road, but everyone always says hello and good morning. "I know it does go on, but I'm rather surprised." When officers raided Donati's home they found two rooms packed with cannabis plants. According to PC Rob Josephs, who spoke about the raid at the time, there were 50 plants in a bedroom and 23 in the loft, with more hanging up to dry. A complex arrangement of fans and other equipment was also in place to give the plants the right conditions for growth. PC Josephs added: "This was a professional operation run by people who knew what they were doing." Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Chris Neilson said: "This is another example of the way in which our expert financial investigators can pursue offenders and seek to get their criminal profits ploughed back into legitimate society. "We continue to take every opportunity to do so." If Donati does not pay the money back within six months a further 18 months will be added to his sentence – and he will still have to pay the money back. http://www.thisissussex.co.uk/Smell-drugs-Broadfield-house-alerted-police/story-14007562-detail/story.html
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