Bradenham: £1million Cannabis Factory Found

26 November 2013, 13:25

More than one thousand cannabis plants have been seized by police from a farm in Bradenham near Dereham.

Seven people have been arrested after what police have described as "one of the largest cannabis farms Norfolk Constabulary has dealt with in recent history".
 
Officers went to a a report of somebody injured at Gibbett Site Pig Farm on Hale Road in Bradenham found the "highly organised and sophisticated operation” at 8:40pm on Sunday evening.

When they realised the scale of what they were dealing with they called in armed officers, along with a helicopter and police dog unit.
 
During searches that evening, a cannabis factory was found and a 30 year old man arrested at the scene on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis.
 
No one injured person was ever found and officers now believe that this part of the reports was a hoax.
 
During the police searches more than 200 large sacks of raw tobacco and a crude shredding machine to produce hand rolling tobacco was discovered.  It is estimated that the combined total of products seized is over £1 million.
 
Early yesterday morning (Monday 25 November 2013), a second man, 47, was arrested on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis as he attended the site. Three people were also discovered in one of the sheds at around 1pm.  The two men aged 20 and 31 and one woman aged 45, believed to be foreign nationals, were also arrested on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis. As a result of initial police enquiries a further two people were arrested yesterday evening.  Both men, one aged 34 and one aged 37, were also arrested on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis.
 
All seven remain in custody at Wymondham Police Investigation Centre, where they await further questioning.
 
A police cordon remains as further enquiries take place.
 
Chief Inspector Ady Porter, Breckland Commander, discussed the discovery further saying: "Information received by police led to a significant police response in order to maximise the safety of all concerned.
 
"The farm is in an isolated location and the cannabis factory was discovered in one of many outbuildings on the site with 20 separate rooms given over to cannabis production.  Every room was set up for production from seedlings to mature plants with extensive hydroponic equipment.  In our view this is a highly organised and sophisticate operation and one of the most significant in recent times.”
 
Investigations by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) into the seizure of hand rolling tobacco are ongoing. Paul Barton from HMRC said:  "The quantity of un-regulated tobacco and the associated crude manufacturing equipment found at this site should send out a clear warning that if you buy cheap tobacco that looks too good to be true it probably is. Criminals who operate under these conditions do not care what goes into the product or who they sell to, including children; they are only out to make a profit for themselves.
 
 "Our activity sends a clear message to those involved in this type of criminality. Attempts to import, distribute and sell tobacco goods on which UK duty have not been paid are treated extremely seriously by HMRC, and we will relentlessly pursue any individuals or crime gangs believed to be involved.”

Officers from the RSPCA and Trading Standards also attended the site as a precautionary measure to protect the welfare of stock.