Cannabis farms worth £3.5million discovered in Telford
A cannabis farm with an estimated street value of around £2.7million was discovered this morning in Telford.
The grow was found following a warrant carried out in the early hours at an abandoned industrial unit in Hortonwood.
Officers from Telford’s Neighbourhood Crime Fighting Team (NCFT) and Proactive CID executed the warrant after information was received about unusual activity taking place at the unit.
When officers entered the building 2,739 mature cannabis plants were discovered, along with several boxes of already cropped plants. Together they hold an estimated street value of around £2.7million.
Three men, aged 27, 30, and 45, living in the unit tried to avoid arrest by breaking down one of the back doors.
Officers were waiting for them, and they were swiftly arrested on suspicion of production of cannabis, and taken to custody where they remain as enquiries are carried out.
Today’s warrant comes in the same week that a cannabis farm with 874 plants, worth an estimated £800,000, was discovered at a property in Woodside, Telford by a PCSO carrying out patrols on Wednesday afternoon.
Police say that no arrests have been made in connection with the Woodside cannabis farm and enquiries are ongoing.
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Organised crime gangs
Sergeant Matt Corfield, from the NCFT, said: “Today’s warrant has again demonstrated the importance around sharing information, and how working alongside the community can help create a safer, more supportive environment for everyone.
“The open communication and commitment to solve local problems creates a sense of shared responsibility.
“Many illicit cannabis farms are controlled by serious and organised crime gangs, which often use violence, intimidation, and illegal activities to operate.
“These farms can be linked to human trafficking and forced labour, and more often than none use unsafe electrical setups to power lights and ventilation systems, which are a dangerous fire hazard.
“This warrant sends a clear message, that any piece of information we receive will be developed and acted on, and we will not stop.”
