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Meticulously planned and complex cannabis factory found in Sandy
BEDFORDSHIRE Police have closed down a huge cannabis factory containing over 3,000 plants which were being grown and cultivated in an abandoned warehouse.
On Monday February 6, officers were called to Stockton End in Sandy following a report of suspicious activity taking place at a derelict factory on the industrial estate. On arrival, a man fled the scene in a vehicle but he was arrested after a short pursuit.
An initial search of the warehouse revealed a huge and complex cannabis factory with sophisticated lighting and hydroponics. Officers also discovered a shotgun as well as used and unused cartridges.
Detective Constable Richard Adams who is leading the investigation said: “It is fair to say that cannabis cultivation in Bedfordshire has been seriously disrupted by this latest discovery. It is clear that the factory was a potentially money-spinning operation which would have brought a substantial amount of profit to the people running it.
“This was by no means a small-time operation being run by amateurs, it was complex and appears to have been meticulously planned and established in a location which shouldn’t have raised suspicions. Thankfully, we have been alerted to some strange activity at the location and we have been able to put an end to drug cultivation at this warehouse.
“Bedfordshire Police is committed to the fight against drugs and will do all that we can to prosecute those involved in producing and selling them across the county and I would urge anyone who has any information about this discovery, or any other drug related offences, to come forward.”
A 28-year-old man who was arrested in connection with this incident has been released on police bail pending further enquiries
If you have information relating to this incident or any other drug offences in Bedfordshire, contact Bedfordshire Police in confidence, on the non emergency number 101, or text information to 07786 200011. Alternatively contact independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
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Comments
There are 10 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Reggie
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:46 AMI have recovered, and I will concede. The main reason I didn't respond immediately was because I don't sit around on local newspaper sites all evening, writing about drugs, reading about drugs, and writing about my very intensive work-outs at the gym. That said, if you are doing something practical to further the cause you espouse then I commend you.
Dan Ford
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:59 AMRight, I'm off to the gym now, for a two hour, very intensive work out. Oh dear, I'm meant to be sitting around in a grubby bedsit eating crisps? L.O.L.
Dan Ford
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 10:20 PMHave you recovered yet Reggie??
Dan Ford
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 08:08 PMHi Reggie, replying to your post of "You make a fair point. I will concede the argument once Dan, Peter or Achesand name one thing that they've done to advance this argument with people who can actually do something, rather than whinge on a newspaper's website. Your move." Well we went to The Houses Of Parliament with a comprehensively researched report and proceeded to give a lengthy presentation with speakers including academics and law enforcement personnel, all supporting our aims. So you see that posting corrected information on biased news reports is just a small part of the hard work we do. I can vouch that Peter and myself were there. Please retract your statement of calling us "a bunch of douchebags" it does you no good at all.
Reggie
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 05:16 PMYou make a fair point. I will concede the argument once Dan, Peter or Achesand name one thing that they've done to advance this argument with people who can actually do something, rather than whinge on a newspaper's website. Your move.
Andrew Cox
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 04:55 PMthree reasoned arguments v one childish ill informed comment thats how you lose an argument reggie i know a cambridge university professor that has written several academic books, doctor, dentist, nurses, teachers,illustrator, driving instructor, plumber, electricians, plasterer......the list goes on.... they all smoke, have successful lives, healthy families and cause harm to no one either physically or emotionally. The laws arent working for anyone, its not hard to understand using logic and reasoning, unfortunately the law makers and these approaches are miles apart "people who believe in sausages and law should see neither being made"
Reggie
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 03:53 PMThis is brilliant. I have completely changed my views on drug laws, thanks to a bunch of douchebags who have had a rant on a local newspaper's website. I am sure they will all now be lobbying the government immediately and over a sustained period of time, making an irresistable and comprehensive case for a revision of our drugs laws,, and will in no way just sit around their bedsits while munching on packets of crisps. They are all geniuses.
achesandpains
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 02:05 PMGW Pharmaceuticals also have "a huge and complex cannabis factory" on a science park in Kent. They grow exactly the same plant (exactly, totally, completely,absolutely the same plant). They grow about 20 tons a year , around 60,000 plants at any one time, which they process, bottle and sell. Their product is called Sativex and it contains all the active ingredients of cannabis, it is cannabis in bottle. Why don't they get raided ? because, as DC Adams says ".. the factory was a potentially money-spinning operation which would have brought a substantial amount of profit to the people running it." Exactly - the GWP factory in Kent realises huge profit worldwide - that is why prohibition is maintained because changing the law would threaten the profits of GW Pharma and its shareholders.
Peter Reynolds
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 12:45 PMWhy don't we try taking a completely new approach to this problem? Around three million people in Britain use cannabis regularly and whatever we do we're not going to stop them. We waste billions every year on police, court and prison resources when a large proportion of society uses cannabis without any problem at all. In fact, the only real problem with cannabis is that it's illegal. The risks to health are very small - much, much less than alcohol or tobacco. By a recent analysis of mortality, hospital admissions, toxicity and propensity to psychosis, cannabis is nearly 3000 times safer than alcohol. Why not introduce a tax and regulate system and realise the benefits? That way we'd have a properly regulated supply chain with no criminals involved, no theft of electricity, no human trafficking, no destruction of property and disruption of neighbourhoods. Then there would be some control over this huge market. There would be thousands of new jobs, sales would be from licensed outlets to adults only with guaranteed quality and safety. Then our police could start going after some real wrongdoing instead of trying to fight a crime that exists only because of a misguided government policy. Cannabis Law Reform (CLEAR) published independent research on 14th September 2011 that shows a cannabis tax and regulate regime would provide a net gain to the UK exchequer of £6.7 billion per annum as well as reducing all health and social harms. The only thing that keeps the present absurd status quo in place is weak politicians corrupted by the alcohol and Big Pharma lobbies. Go to the CLEAR website for full details: www.clear-uk.org
Dan Ford
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 11:47 AMIt is so common for this to happen. All the continued prohibition policy is doing is to artificially inflate prices even more, so that more and more gangsters are taking the "risk" to generate huge profits. Close one down and two more get started. What we really need to do is come away from a policy that has proved highly damaging. We need a properly regulated chain of supply so that consenting adults may purchase Cannabis if they wish. People will look back on this era of Cannabis prohibition much as we now look back and see how stupid alcohol prohibition was. This is all so damaging to society and every day the damage gets worse and harder to recover from. Can you imagine the power that the likes of Al Capone would now wield if the alcohol prohibition had been allowed to continue for nearly 100 years? They would have enough legislators in their pockets so that they could influence governments and ensure that alcohol prohibition continued. Now that is exactly the position the "drug barons" are in today. For this reason I believe that legalisation of Cannabis is the most urgent issue on this planet today. What we need, instead of a blanket prohibition of Cannabis, is a proper legally regulated supply that will benefit the U.K. economy through huge tax revenues and free up the resources of the police and courts to deal with real crimes. Most of all a properly regulated supply will protect young people, as it is in the area of Age Limits that prohibition has proven such a huge failure. In countries where there is provision for the legal supply of Cannabis to adults the use of Cannabis, and indeed other substances as well, is greatly reduced amongst youngsters. This is because the licensed suppliers know full well that if they are caught supplying to minors they stand to lose their licence, so they just don't do it. Whereas in good old Blighty we have to soldier on with prohibition giving the whole market straight into the hands of dealers who simply want to see your money, they will sell Cannabis to anyone of any age. And that's not all! These unscrupulous dealers are often likely to say "Oh sorry, I couldn't get any weed this week, this other stuff is all they had, why don't you try some?" and then proceed to offer Heroin. So, legalise, regulate and tax the supply of Cannabis for a Britain that is happier, less violent and more affluent.
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