Cannabis factory discovered at farmhouse near south Shropshire border

More than 500 Cannabis plants have been destroyed and specialised equipment
seized after police executed a drugs warrant on the Shropshire/Herefordshire border last week.

The South West Mercia Local Policing Priority Team responded to National Crime Agency intelligence that a large cannabis factory was located at a farmhouse in the village of Downton on the Rock.

Superintendent Sue Thomas, Policing Commander for Herefordshire said:

"This operation comes at a time when we are working tirelessly to reduce the County Lines crime as well target Organised Crime Groups (OCG's) in and around our counties. On the day, we seized and destroyed more than 500 cannabis plants, incinerated a number of industrial sized bags full of ready-to-sell cannabis buds and seized paraphernalia estimated at several hundred thousand pounds. We also arrested a Vietnamese man who was in the country illegally. He was charged and remanded to court.

"This operation demonstrates how determined we are to deal with serious crimes in order to keep our communities safe from the impact of drugs. People in Herefordshire and Shropshire deserve to be safe and free from organised criminality like this and teams such as the Hereford LPPT are out there every day making a real difference to people's lives.

"Enquiries are now ongoing to identify those responsible and bring them to justice and anyone who may have any information regarding this incident can contact us on 101."

Attics, derelict sites, old #herefordshire farmhouses, it doesn't matter, we will find your 🌿 factory and close it down. #Protect @LpptSWestMercia @SWorcPROACTIVE @NCA_UK working to make our communities safer pic.twitter.com/itLSn3J0Fp https://twitter.com/WMerciaPolice/status/1131185615456866304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw