By £3m cannabis crop found by police
One of the largest cannabis factories ever found in the West Midlands has been uncovered by police.
A £3 million crop was discovered hidden inside a historic factory building, Haliburton House in Hall Street South, West Bromwich.
Officers discovered cannabis plants across all three floors, the loft space and the clock tower, along with an extensive heating, lighting and hydroponics set-up.
Thousands of plants, many approaching maturity and harvest ready, were being cultivated throughout the Grade II listed property, which is a Victorian industrial building dating back to the 1870s that was previously home to a metal manufacturing firm.
West Midlands Police Detective Inspector Ade George said: “We strongly suspect this drugs factory, given the scale, is linked to serious organised crime.
“It’s a big win for us and its discovery, especially as the crop was nearing harvest, will be a significant dent in the finances of the crime group involved.
“We’ve seized several million pounds worth of drugs plus equipment also costing tens of thousands of pounds.
“A drugs factory of this size, with all the modifications, takes a lot of time and effort; I would suggest it has been in operation for around six months. There is also clear evidence of living quarters within the property.
“No-one has been arrested at this stage but our enquiries into who was behind the factory are underway – and I’d urge anyone with information to get in contact.”
It was discovered when a utilities company reported their suspicions after seeing a surge in electricity usage at the historic building.
The police’s specialist Cannabis Disposal Team was not able to clear the site immediately due to an asbestos warning.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police, who can be reached via Live Chat messaging via the website or by calling 101. Quote crime reference 20SW/169506P/20.
