A CANNABIS farm filled with 40 plants of the Class B illegal drug was discovered in a Southampton home.

The plants were found by officers while they executed a warrant at the address on Mercury Close, Lordshill, on Wednesday morning.

They had rammed into the property using a RED key.

This is known as a specially designed manual battering ram currently used by British Police forces to aid in gaining entry to premises.

All 40 weeds were seized during the warrant.

Daily Echo:

They also arrested a 27-year-old man on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis and abstracting electricity.

He has since been released under investigation.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said: "We executed a warrant at an address in Mercury Close this morning (Wednesday 13 May) as part of Fortress, our response to tackling drug related harm.

"Officers seized around 40 cannabis plants during the warrant.

"We arrested a 27-year-old man on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis and abstracting electricity. He has been released under investigation."

It comes as part of Hampshire Constabulary's Operation Fortress, which aims to crack down on county lines drug trafficking.

Daily Echo:

This raid was reportedly part of the operation, set up by Hampshire Police to tackle gun and knife crime across Southampton.

Police also confirmed that the warrant was not carried out at the same property that hosted a party on Mercury Close, on Saturday April 25, and that the incidents were not linked to each other.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo, it was said that numbers of up to "40 people" attended the party, which included smashing bottles, breaking wooden pallets to make fires and playing loud music until the early hours.

Eventually, police were called to the property to break-up the gathering.

Residents concerned about drug dealing in their area are urged to call police on 101 or via the Crimestoppers website anonymously.