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Two men jailed over Felixstowe cannabis farm

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Two men have been jailed for nearly three years each after police uncovered a cannabis farm in Felixstowe containing 81 plants.

The big picture: Esat Dashi, 27, of Willenhall, West Midlands, and Thien Le, 41, of no fixed address, were each sentenced to 33 months in prison at Ipswich Crown Court on 16 January.

The details:

  • Police discovered the operation after stopping Dashi's car in Felixstowe last June

  • Officers found fertiliser, gloves and storage bags in the vehicle

  • A search of a property on Langer Road revealed 81 cannabis plants and cultivated cannabis

Cannabis farm in Felixstowe
Cannabis farm in FelixstoweSuffolk Constabulary

Behind the scenes: Both men initially claimed they were victims of modern-day slavery. Dashi entered an early guilty plea, while Le admitted the offence on the second day of his trial.

What they're saying: Sgt Dave Logan of Suffolk Police's Sentinel South team said: "The sophistication of these cannabis grows meant that the local community and the police were unaware of its existence."

Thien Le and Dashi
Thien Le and Dashi were both sentenced to 33 months in prisonSuffolk Constabulary

How to help: Suffolk Police encourage residents to report suspected drug activity online at www.suffolk.police.uk/tell-us, by calling 101, or anonymously through Crimestoppers at www.crimestoppers-uk.org or 0800 555 111.

The bottom line: The two men will begin their 33-month sentences following their convictions. "Having our proactive Sentinel teams patrolling Suffolk's road networks means we can target suspicious vehicles and uncover the clues within, leading us to find addresses used in crime," concluded Sgt Dave Logan.

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Farage more trusted than Starmer in East of England, latest poll finds

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Ipswich.co.uk Logomark in a circle

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We publish the stories that matter and champion everything that's good about our town – without the ads, popups or tracking

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is more trusted to represent the UK internationally than PM Keir Starmer among East of England voters, new polling reveals.

Why it matters: The findings highlight a significant decline in trust for the main party leaders in the region less than a year after the general election.

The poll, conducted by communications agency PLMR and Electoral Calculus, shows Farage ranked highest among named leaders at 19% in the East of England, ahead of Sir Keir Starmer (13%), Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch (6%) and Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey (5%).

Nigel Farage
Nigel FarageAlamy

The bigger picture: One in three voters (33%) in the region responded "none of the above" when asked which political figure they would trust most, suggesting a broader decline in overall trust in UK political leaders.

By the numbers: The same poll indicates Reform UK would become the largest party in the region if an election were held tomorrow:

  • Reform: 21 seats

  • Conservatives: 10 seats

  • Labour: 4 seats

  • Liberal Democrats: 2 seats

  • Greens: 1 seat

In contrast: Nationally, Farage and Starmer are tied at 16% among those who named a preference, highlighting a more polarised national picture, with the Reform UK leader building more trust with voters in the East of England specifically.

What they're saying: "This polling highlights a significant decline in trust for the two main party leaders among East of England voters when it comes to representing the UK on the international stage," said Tim Miller , Managing Director of PLMR Genesis , the East of England branch of PLMR.

Reform and Nigel Farage have seemingly been able to capitalise on this and it's now translating into voting intentions, with the Party set to overtake Labour and the Conservatives in the region with the largest number of seats – a seismic political shift.

Between the lines: The poll suggests Reform would make strong gains across the region, potentially taking seats from both major parties:

  • Suffolk: Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket from Labour

  • Essex: Braintree from the Conservatives and Thurrock from Labour

  • Cambridgeshire: North East from the Conservatives and North West from Labour

  • Norfolk: North West from the Conservatives and South West from Labour

Tim Miller on a backdrop of Ipswich from above and political party colour overlays
Tim Miller of PLMR GenesisOliver Rouane-WilliamsIpswich.co.uk

The national outlook: The survey of 5,180 adults showed Reform securing 25% of the vote share nationally, compared to 23% each for Labour and the Conservatives. This would translate to 227 seats for Reform, 180 for Labour and 130 for the Conservatives.

The bottom line: "If Labour wants to keep Reform at bay, hold onto the gains they made in the East of England and remain in government in four year's time, the Party needs to focus on getting their message across more clearly to voters and instil confidence in their domestic agenda," Miller concluded.

Oliver Rouane-Williams speaking with an elderly couple in the town centre

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