Police discover huge cannabis farm worth £1m in Hackney warehouse

The cannabis farm discovered by Homerton Police extends over two floors of an abandoned warehouse. Pic: Homerton Police

The largest cannabis farm ever discovered in Hackney, containing more than 500 plants with a street value worth a total of around £1m, has been raided by police.

After being tipped off by locals, police raided the farm, which was housed in an abandoned warehouse in Rosina Street in Homerton last Thursday. Hackney police later tweeted that it was ‘the largest cannabis farm we’ve ever seen.’’

A police video  shows one of the two floors filled with grown cannabis plants extending as far as the eye can see, all ventilated by fans and lit with LED growth lamps. No arrests were made and detectives are continuing with inquiries.

The haul is just the latest in a series of cannabis farm discoveries made by the police in the borough. Detective Superintendent Paul Trevers said: “We are hearing of more and more cannabis factories, and I am convinced of the links to organised and violent crime which impacts on our local neighbourhoods as well as those of vulnerable people who become caught up in the wider drugs trade and people-trafficking operations.

Police said Hackney residents should keep an eye out for the use of large, humming extractor fans in the winter; the distinctive smell; blacked out windows or constantly closed curtains; and strange comings and goings at unusual hours in unoccupied buildings,

Detective Sergeant Owen Morgan, of the East Area Command Drugs Focus Desk said that they have “significant concerns” for the wellbeing of Hackney people who live near cannabis farms. “Growers tamper with the electrical supply at the venue and this, combined with the chemicals used in growing the plants, can be a significant danger to neighbouring properties […] The cultivation of cannabis fuels organised drug-related crime and drug use – both of which can seriously reduce the quality of life for local people.”

He insists that if you suspect that a cannabis factory may be operating close to your home, “please don’t ignore it.” He continues: “We understand the sensitivity around reporting a neighbour to the police.” He advises that those who do not feel comfortable speaking directly to an officer to make a report “100% anonymously” via the independent charity, Crimestoppers.

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