Cannabis farm raid nets £500,000 haul

More than 1,000 cannabis plants worth an estimated £500,000 have been found in a police swoop on a Black Country industrial unit.

The haul was seized at Bridge Industrial Estate, Bridge Street North, Smethwick. The unit was raided by eight officers after information was received from concerned members of the community.

Police have just revealed details about the raid at around 5.15pm last Wednesday. Along with the plants, a number of bags of the Class B drug were also found. No-one was present at the address at the time.

Sgt Adam Yeomans, who headed the operation, said: "We are very grateful to the local community who have shown a huge amount of courage in coming forward and making us aware of such a large-scale drugs operation.

"We are working closely with all the businesses on the industrial estate and are visiting all the units individually to make sure there is no illegal activity taking place."

Smethwick's Inspector Bal Mand said: "We are extremely pleased with the results of Wednesday's warrant.

"We have not only taken a massive amount of drugs off our streets, but we have also shown the local community we have listened to their concerns and acted rapidly.

"We will continue to work closely with our communities to crack down on drugs and encourage anyone with information about crime in their area to speak to their local neighbourhood policing team."

On January 2, 2,500 cannabis plants worth an estimated £1 million were seized at Buttress Way, Smethwick, on January 2.

Three Vietnamese were charged with producing cannabis and stealing £1,000-worth of electricity and will appear before magistrates on February 1.

On January 4, 750 canna-bis plants were discovered in Sedgley Road East, Tipton, and two men were arrested.