Police arrest man in dawn raid on Smethwick house
Armed police took part in a dawn raid on a suspected cannabis farm in Smethwick this morning and arrested a 32-year-old man at the scene.
Police including armed officers were seen on Monday morning outside a house in William Road.
They broke the front door to gain entry and arrested a 32-year-old man on suspicion of being concerned in the production of class B drugs. He remains in custody for questioning.
The door was later boarded up.
A statement from West Midlands Police said: "We have arrested a man at a property on William Road, Smethwick this morning on suspicion of being concerned in the production of class B drugs.
"The 32-year-old remains in custody for questioning and our enquiries are continuing. Anyone with information should get in touch with us via LiveChat on our website quoting crime 20/412378/23."
A neighbour who saw police outside the house early on Monday and who did not want to be named said: "I heard a sound and saw loads of police outside, with some of them armed.
"There was one guy living there who kept himself to himself, but a car would occasionally turn up with a few men inside carrying groceries, including bottles of water.
"It's surprising to hear about it, although there was a guy who got arrested for drugs years ago down here. That's about it, though, and it's usually fairly quiet around here."
It happened just around the corner from a hit-and-run that left a 29-year-old man critically injured on Monday morning.
The man was hit in Queens Road, shortly before 1am, by a car that did not stop. A heavy police presence remained in Queens Road for hours afterwards.