Police have revealed the inside of a massive cannabis factory uncovered in an abandoned chicken unit, where criminals grew £500,000 worth of drugs. More than 1,500 plants were found in the remote former agricultural site, near the village of Burbage, in Wiltshire. Cops revealed the farm was one of the largest ever uncovered in the area, with detectives estimating the site pulled around £1.5million worth of electricity from the national grid into the "highly sophisticated" illegal operation.
Discovery and Response
Cops revealed a member of the public discovered the 60m x 12m cannabis farm on Friday, July 17, and engineers have been working to remove the dangerous electricity supply. A video shared by Wiltshire Police revealed the extent of the huge drug factory, fitted with a "living quarters" alongside around 1,300 plants, with many "ready for cultivation" and street sale.
The living area in the barn had bedding, a toilet and even a kitchen with a stove, sink and washing machine. Detective Sergeant Joe Shanklin, while showing the drug factory, said it was "where they would have been living and cooking their food". Police added that the cannabis site had ventilation, power and water, making it "quite a significant setup".
Police Statement
Detective Sergeant Shanklin, who was part of the operation, said: "We've come across these sort of kind of factories before but the scale of this one is pretty big. It's been here for some time I would say, it's a remote location and to get this stuff out safely, working with the utilities companies and things, will take some time."
Wiltshire Police said officers have been working to log and remove both the equipment and the drug plants. The cannabis will be moved to a safe location and destroyed. Cops added that no arrests have been made but an investigation was launched.
Detective Sergeant Shanklin said: "The sophisticated set up included electricity illegally drawn directly from the national grid to power hundreds of grow lamps as well as a full irrigation system. We have also found signs of a number of people who had been living on site, with bedrooms and cooking facilities within the barn. The scale of this operation is significant and appears to have been in place for a substantial period of time."
Wiltshire Police said: "The public are our eyes and ears. If you think that a property near you might be used for illegal drug activity then please report it to us. This can be done on 101 or through our website. Alternatively, information can be left anonymously with Crimestoppers on 0800 555111."
