A man who ran a cannabis factory out of two Walton homes has been jailed.

On Friday (February 14), police announced that Mahmood Safazi had been sentenced to six years behind bars after pleading guilty at Kingston Crown Court on Wednesday (February 12).

The 52-year-old had been charged with producing a controlled Class B drug.

Surrey Comet: Mahmood SafaziMahmood Safazi

Last August, Surrey Police officers carried out the two search warrants at the Walton addresses.

The properties on Silverdale Avenue and Ashley Park were found harbouring more than £800,000 worth of cannabis inside, which has since been destroyed.

The searches also yielded growing equipment such as hydroponic lamps and improvised ventilation systems.

A taser was found in Silver Avenue, while three crossbows and a CS gas canister found in the Ashley Park address.

Safazi’s Mercedes car was also seized.

Elmbridge Safer Neighbourhood Team Sergeant Rob Thomas thanked the Elmbridge community for their help with the investigation.

"We are indebted to the community for their help in launching this investigation and are pleased to have been able to see this drug dealer jailed and just as importantly £800,000 of drugs destroyed," he said.

“Stopping highly organised criminal setups like this has far more consequences than just putting one man behind bars, it prevents drug users committing other crimes to pay for what he was growing and the enormous impact that then has on our communities.

"These two properties also suffered considerable damage as a result.

"We receive a lot of information from the public and sometimes it’s not obvious what the outcome will be, however this is a clear example of what can happen if you continue to report suspicions you have," Thomas added.