Suspect arrested after mistakenly showing police video of cannabis farm while trying to use Google translate

A suspect showed a video of a large cannabis farm to officers
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April Roach @aprilroach2814 December 2020
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A suspected drug dealer has been arrested after his attempts to use Google Translate when he was stopped by police led to him accidentally showing officers a video of a large cannabis farm in operation.

Northumbria Police stopped a grey Mercedes in Rainton Bridge, near Sunderland, on Wednesday.

Officers became suspicious when they detected a strong smell of cannabis.

Police said one of the two occupants of the car, whose first language was not English, attempted to use Google Translate on his phone to help explain himself.

“But, much to his horror, a video appeared on his screen which showed a significant cannabis farm in operation,” the force said.

Police arrested the pair and then searched a property in the village of Easington Lane, where they found a cannabis farm with 600 plants growing on three floors.

Sergeant Steve Passey, of Northumbria Police, said: “It’s safe to say the suspect was a little shocked and tried to quickly lock his phone in the hope that nobody had seen.

“Unfortunately for him, that resulted in him and his associate spending a night in a police cell – and we were able to carry out further inquiries which led us to an address on High Street in Easington Lane.

“Inside, a sophisticated cannabis operation was found and we have now been able to dismantle that and ensure those drugs do not make their way on to our streets.”

The two men, aged 22 and 38, were arrested on suspicion of producing of a Class B drug and have been released on police bail.

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