YouTube video traps cannabis grower

[grace]

A cannabis grower let police in on his secret hobby after posting home videos of the crop on YouTube, it has emerged.

 

The 25-year-old was arrested after officers saw footage on the website documenting the stages of growth at his home in Bridgwater, Somerset.

 

The man made his arrest even easier after using his real name as his "internet handle".

 

Police searched the house and seized one large cannabis plant and associated hydroponics equipment used to maximise heat and light conditions.

 

PC Adrian Peck, of Avon and Somerset police, said: "The male had been videoing the growth of the plant over a number of months and uploading his horticultural endeavours onto the site to document it - providing us with fairly conclusive evidence.

 

"The cultivation of cannabis is illegal. If you break the law and are foolish enough to then advertise your criminal activities on the internet, it makes it very easy for the Police to catch you."

 

Police said the cannabis produced by the single plant could have had a potential street value of up to £500; both the plant and growing equipment will be destroyed.

 

The man admitted the offence of cultivating cannabis, now a Class B drug, and received an official police warning.

 

The force said it was not its policy to release the names of people who are warned and confirmed that the videos have been removed from the site.

 

Date: 21 February 2009

Source: The Press Association

Copyright: Copyright © 2009 The Press Association

Thttp://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5issDTaBl2lFjRgRSI3iVvHKTLOTg

[Teucer]

Damn! That's concerning. How long until our own grow diaries begin to be suspect?

[TheTreeBoundRat]

One lousy plant? They've gone mad over there...

[Ryant1234]

I don't see what they get out of raiding everyday people who aren't members of criminal gangs, I wonder what % of the police budget is used for ignorant and unneeded drug busts

[humphrey b flaubert]

Using his REAL NAME as his youtube user name? It's a wonder someone that stupid didn't drown by standing outside in the rain with their mouth open.

[brick]

I used to think these people were pretty dumb. In retrospect they might in some small way be helping the cause, he might have lost a bit of money but if say three people, who watched the video, started a small grow then thats another three for the cause.

 

An easy bust for the police. Still a waste of tax payers money and valuable police resources.

[Tony2224]

Although the guy was stupid and used his real name, it begs the question are we incriminating ourselves by visiting sites like ozstoners or seedbank sites? Can police monitor the sites you go to?

[SinnSmokah]

dont be paranoid - the guy used his real name, probably showed his face, who knows what other non-weed related vids he had on there of himself to give it away

 

 

silly stoner

 

 

still theres too many grow diaries on too many sites and i think coppers know that a large majority of growers dont show off their work on the net so even if they targeted everyone online there would be a lot more offline