Industrial cannabis farm shut down with seizures of supply totalling £360,000

An industrial-size drugs factory found hidden in a former guest house has been shut down.

Officers from Northumbria Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Team executed a warrant at the Old Manse Guest House in Birtley where they uncovered a large-scale cannabis operation.

The farm is said to have been made up of more than 1,000 plants, all at various stages of growth.

A total street value of roughly £360,000 is believed to have been seized from the premises, with a total of £60,000 of dried cannabis also seized.

Electricity to the property has also been bypassed and a range of equipment also recovered.

Detective Sergeant Chris Johnson said: “This was a substantial sized farm with the potential of making hundreds and thousands of pounds in criminal cash, which we believe would have been further invested in organised crime.

“Stopping an operation like this in its tracks is no mean feat, but it is thanks to the hard work of intelligence officers and neighbourhood teams, who have come together to secure such a positive result, with the assistance of our local communities.

“This warrant was executed after we received information from members of the community who suspected something was not quite right and got in touch. Their information has been crucial.

“Under the banner of Operation Sentinel, we will continue to disrupt and dismantle organised crime in the North East – and this is another example of the important role that the public can play in supporting us.”

The farm has since been dismantled, with the drugs seized and enquiries opened into tracing those responsible for the farm.