A 37-year-old man has been arrested following a police operation that led to the evacuation of buildings on Station Road, Whitley Bay, early this morning. Northumbria Police responded to reports of a suspected cannabis farm at a premises in the area at around 8am today.
Emergency services were promptly dispatched, and several businesses and residents were evacuated as a precautionary measure. The arrested individual is currently in police custody, suspected of producing a Class B drug. Authorities have confirmed that inquiries are ongoing.
Following the evacuation, those affected were permitted to return to their properties later in the day. Local businesses took to social media to inform their customers about the disruption. The owner of Pranzo Trattoria and Bottega Pranzo, two Italian restaurants on Station Road, shared on Facebook: “Due to unforeseen circumstances and an emergency situation on Station Road, we have been advised by police to evacuate and so will not be open today in the Restaurant or Focacceria.
Horticulture Coastal, a nearby cafe, also posted: “Completely out of control but sadly closed today! Due to a major police incident on Station Road concerning an unknown device halfway up the street, for everyone’s safety, they have been evacuating the area and the residents. We will keep you informed if we can manage to open today but currently looking unlikely. Thanks for your patience and stay safe folks.”
A spokesperson for Northumbria Police stated: “At around 8am today (Sunday), we received a report of a suspected cannabis farm at a premises in the Station Road area of Whitley Bay in North Tyneside. Emergency services attended and, as a precautionary measure, a number of businesses and residents were evacuated. A 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the production of a Class B drug. He remains in police custody while enquiries are ongoing. Those evacuated have since been allowed to return to their properties.”
The police are continuing their investigation into the suspected cannabis farm, and updates are expected as the situation develops.
