A landlord this week spoke of his shock after one of his homes – which two Romanian strippers were said to be renting – was turned into a cannabis farm.
Sedat Dagdas, brother of listed owner Mehmet, said the alarm was raised with the pair of landlords after neighbours heard constant drilling and fan noises throughout the day and night.
Mr Dagdas told how he was forced to break down the door of the home in Quemerford Road, Holloway, before being confronted with about 50 cannabis plants.
Police dispatched a seven-tonne lorry to sieze the farm last Wednesday, but no arrests have been made as nobody was inside the property. Officers are now calling for witnesses as the investigation continues.
Mr Dagdas said: “I went round there last Tuesday with community officers but they said they would have to get a warrant to search the property.
“I didn’t want to wait so I went the next day and knocked the door down myself because the tenants had changed the locks. When I opened the letter box this really strong smell of cannabis just wafted out.
“First downstairs there was nothing, but then I got upstairs and two bedrooms and the loft were full. There must have been about 50 plants.
“As a family-owned house, it’s caused us a lot of pain. You don’t expect your property to be used like that. We spent a lot of money on it and seeing it in that condition really hurt.”
According to Ertan Fenerli, of Canary Estates – agents for the property – the house was being rented by two Romanian women who claimed to be exotic dancers.
The Gazette was unable to contact one of the women on a number provided by Mr Fenerli, which she gave to Canary Estates, before going to press.
But Mr Fenerli added: “We have been trying to contact her, but since the cannabis was found here we have not been able to get in touch with her.”
She had submitted a reference in order to secure the house from her boss at the club she danced at in Camden, Mr Fenerli claimed.
Another Romanian woman, also reportedly a stripper, began renting the house with the first woman over a month ago after Canary Estates, of Hedge Lane, Enfield, took over the property from Foxtons in Upper Street. Documents for the two women, including passport photocopies, have been handed to police.
One neighbour of the £2,000-a-week, four-bedroom house, said: “I saw two men turning up regularly in a van and staying there for about an hour but then leaving.
“There was also a woman, who looked as if she could have been Romanian, who pulled up outside about six weeks ago and left her child in her car, which I thought was strange, and came out again five minutes later.”
Other neighbours also became suspicious the property was not being lived in after seeing all the beds being removed.
A Met spokesman said: “On Wednesday, June 12, officers attended an address at Quemerford Road after reports that the premises was being used to cultivate drugs.
“Officers identified alterations to the house interior, exterior and electricity supply to provide heating, lighting and fans for plant growth. A number of plants and equipment were removed from the property.”
Witnesses with any information should call police on 101, quoting ref 2712920/13, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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