there might be a hole in the supply chain
Was it a joint account? Police find cannabis factory worth more than £500,000 growing in the vault of an old branch of Barclays
- Staff at a bed shop next door were suspicious of strong smell of drug
- Police officers discovered more than 1,000 plants in elaborate set-up
- One officer called it: 'Most elaborate extraction system I've ever seen'
By
Sam Webb
Published: 09:50 EST, 5 August 2014 | Updated: 12:01 EST, 5 August 2014
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Police have unearthed a cannabis factory with a street value of more than half a million pounds - growing in the vault of a derelict bank on a busy main road.
Officers swooped on the building, in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, yesterday - and discovered a super factory containing more than 1,000 cannabis plants in production in a former branch of Barclays.
They were tipped off about the factory - believed to be worth more than £579,000 - after staff at a bed shop next door grew suspicious after noticing a strong smell of cannabis through a crack in the wall.
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Off the streets: Police officers discovered more than 1,000 cannabis plants in a derelict former bank. Pictured, Sergeant Colin Jarratt in one of the many rooms filled with illegal plants
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The plants found in the hidden factory on a busy street in Grimsby have a street value of more than £500,000
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Bumper crop: An officer said: 'It's a substantial grow with the most elaborate extraction system I've ever seen'
Keeping it safe? Cannabis factory discovered in bank vault
A 31-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the haul.
Sergeant Colin Jarratt, from Lincolnshire Police, said: 'Officers have executed a warrant under the misuse of drugs act after suspecting that drugs were being produced at an address in Cleethorpe Road that was formerly a bank.
'On entering the premises, officers located a large number of cannabis plants that were in differing stages of growth. There is a professional cultivation set-up within the premises, which is currently producing hundreds of cannabis plants.'
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Innocuous: The former bank site on the busy street in Lincolnshire's Grimsby
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Hash withdrawal: Ultraviolet lights and pipes for extraction line the ceiling of the 'professional' set-up
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A 31-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the massive drug seizure
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Grow trays with immature plants in the corner of one of the former bank's rooms
He added: 'It's a substantial grow with the most elaborate extraction system I've ever seen.'
'Due to the size of this operation, officers will be present for a considerable amount of time seizing items and documenting evidence.
'Inquiries are still at a very early stage and the investigation is underway, which may take some time to deal with.
'I would like to reassure members of the public that we do acknowledge information that is passed to us and when there is sufficient information to allow us to apply a warrant, we do.
'Please continue to support your local police and provide us with information relating to criminal activities in your community.'
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High security: The vault of the former bank, stripped of the plants by officers
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Pot-ted plants: Officers found several mattresses that appeared to have been slept on in the building. Right, the factory used a vast amount of power
One man was arrested at the scene, but there were several mattresses that appeared to have been slept on in the building.
A worker employed by the Bed Warehouse next door said that staff had had their suspicions of a drug factory for the last few months.
The individual, who did not wish to be named, said: 'We thought it would be a big grow because upstairs in our premises, which is next door, there is a crack in the wall and when you put your nose to it you could smell it.'
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Due to the size of this operation, officers will be present for a considerable amount of time seizing items and documenting evidence
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A worker employed by the Bed Warehouse next door said that staff had had their suspicions of a drug factory for the last few months
Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2716751/Was-joint-account-Police-cannabis-factory-worth-500-000-growing-vault-old-branch-Barclays.html#ixzz39YcXg1XU
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