Video: £1m Wakefield cannabis farm shut down

Police shut down a £1 million cannabis farm in an industrial unit on the Millenia Park Industrial Estate, Thornes, Wakefield.

Officers from Wakefield Central neighbourhood police team (NPT) carried out the raid on a unit on Millenia Park Industrial Estate, off Thornes Road at around 3.30pm on Monday.

Insp Ian Williams, of the NPT, said the unit contained hundreds of plants stored in specialist tents as well as lighting and heating equipment.

He said: “This was a very a sophisticated set up and all of the plants were around six-foot high and ready to harvest so we got it just in time.

“I would say it was worth around £1m - it was a really big farm.

“There was also a false front to the property and some specialist ventilation equipment to remove the smell so nobody would have been able to tell what was going on inside the unit.”

Mr Williams said the unit had 12 tents of plants and its electricity supply had been bypassed.

This latest bust follows a raid on two derelict buildings behind the old ABC Cinema, Kirkgate in April.

Insp Williams said: “The set-up was very similar to the Kirkgate one but we are not linking the two.

“The difference was that these plants were ready for harvesting and there was also some evidence they had previously been harvested.

“They were both very sophisticated and it was important we shut them both down.”

Insp Wiliams said the raid was carried out following information from the public about suspicious activity around the site.

Officers then got a court warrant before carrying out the raid.

Insp Williams said: “Information from the public is key to finding and clamping down on this kind of criminality.

“Organised criminals, such as those behind this cannabis farm, make a comfortable amount of money out of criminality.

“Holding them to account and following up on information from the community means that we can reclaim this money and put it back into the community, where it belongs, under the Proceeds of Crime Act.”

Insp Williams said no arrests have been made in connection with the cannabis farm.

He said: “Enquiries are ongoing after this raid and we have a number of pieces of information we are following up but I would ask anyone with any information about the cannabis farm to contact Wakefield Central NPT on 101.

“Alternatively, call Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555111.”