Police in East London carried out a drug den bust thanks to residents’ tip-offs following a story carried in the local weekly paper.

In May, the Barking and Dagenham Post reported on a marijuana raid by police and included details of telltale signs residents should look out for if they thought they were living close to a drug factory.

As a result of the story in the Archant London weekly, the police and independent charity Crimestoppers were inundated with calls from locals about possible drug deals taking place, with police convinced the source was close by.

Officers eventually stormed a house in the Chadwell Heath area of Romford and discovered the entire top floor was being used to harvest cannabis, with more than 60 plants on site at different stages of maturity.

A man was sleeping in the next room to the drugs, which police said was probably extremely harmful to his health, and he was arrested on the scene.

The growing equipment was described by officers as “very technologically advanced” and there was also evidence that the dealers had previously used the roof space as a cultivation room.

Pc Martin Jones told the Post: “The initial information which led to this discovery came through residents calling Crimestoppers.

“People saw the story the Post covered and knew what signs to look out for. Since then we have had a load more calls.”