Cannabis factory find at Science Park

Shocked factory staff were turned away from work today after police uncovered a huge cannabis factory and confiscated a £40,000 Ferrari from their car park.

Hundreds of cannabis plants were found in the grounds of Marblecraft, at Wolverhampton Science Park, during the police raid.

Following a tip-off, officers this morning swooped and found a metal shipping container, accessible by a ladder, lined with red plastic boxes used to grow the plants. That led through into a store room containing gym equipment with cannabis on the floor.

Downstairs, next to the marble factory, another room was found with a similar set-up, with lighting and heating equipment used to nurture the drugs.

Early estimates put the value of the drugs at £40,000, but police were this afternoon still trying to establish exactly how many plants were at the factory.

This afternoon police revealed that another cannabis factory had been found in the North West of England and was being linked to the find in Wolverhampton.

A 47-year-old man and a 49-year-old woman have been arrested in connection with the find in Wolverhampton on suspicion of the production of cannabis.

Police used Proceeds of Crime Act legislation to seize the red Ferrari, believed to be a 360 Spider worth around £40,000, a Leike motorbike and a Land Rover Discovery.

Three rottweilers were moved into secure rooms and electricians called in to make the building safe before it was searched by police.

A number of staff were turned away from the premises and told by police that the company would be shut for at least a day.

Kevin Jones, aged 52, who works at Unitrunk cable management next door to Marblecraft, said: "I've been here for four years and we've often been able to smell what we thought was cannabis.

"At first we thought it was kids smoking a joint but after a while we suspected it was something more than that."

Wednesfield Sgt Dave Jones said today: "There's certainly several hundred plants there. It's a very professional set-up, with a drying room and a room downstairs which is used for growing.

"It's certainly been there several months."

Marblecraft, which was established in 1996 and is thought to employ around 20 people, claims to be one of the largest stockists of marble and granite in the UK.

On its website, it boasts of its "reputation for quality and reliability as a manufacturer and installer of finished marble and granite products."

Andrew Gilson, operations director at Wolverhampton Science Park, was shocked by the discovery.

But he stressed: "The company is a freehold premises and nothing to do with us whatsoever."

DCI Derek Quinn, of Wednesfield police, said: "I'm very pleased with today's operation. We're now making inquiries with another police force and another cannabis factory and that will continue for some time."

Cannabis had traditionally been grown in attics and bedrooms, but in recent months there has been a big increase in large premises, including industrial-sized warehouses, being used to grow plants.

Organised criminals are now employing people to live and sleep at disused buildings to cultivate the plants.

Earlier this year, officers found around 1,000 cannabis plants at a sprawling warehouse in another part of the city.

Thirteen people were arrested in connection with the seizure at the former Flynt Leisurewear and M&B Textiles in Craddock Street, Whitmore Reans.