UK police have shut down a large, well-equipped cannabis factory worth over $1 million, hidden underground in the historic Drakelow Tunnels, which was used as a shelter for local government back in the 1950s in case of nuclear attack.
Police had to descend deep underground to close down the secret
facility, hidden in the tunnels north of the English town of
Kidderminster.
A total of 400 cannabis plants, worth around 650,000 pounds (just
over $1 million) according to preliminary estimates, were seized
during the raid, the police said.
The operation, which took place Wednesday morning, involved 30
police officers and staff, including dog handlers.
“While executing the warrant at Drakelow Tunnels, we discovered a
large and sophisticated cannabis growing operation,” said
Kevin Purcell, North Worcestershire Superintendent, local paper
The Shuttle reported. “Although the plants will need to be
tested, it would appear that this seizure has prevented a large
quantity of illegal drugs ending up on the streets.”
The factory was well equipped, as it had plenty of hydroponic
hardware, including heating, lighting and ventilation fans.
Prior to the raid, a 45-year-old man was arrested in
Kidderminster on suspicion of money laundering and being involved
in the production and supply of illegal drugs.
The operation was part of a new three-year anti-drug strategy,
which the local police began implementing in September, seeking
the “reduction of supply and demand achieved through the
identification and dismantling of trafficking and dealer
networks, and the closure of drug factories or farms.”
The Drakelow Tunnels, dug in the early 1940s, are considered a
monument to the UK’s military history.
The underground facility, with a floor space of 23,000 square
meters amid tunnels stretching 6km, was used to produce machine
parts during World War II.
In the late 1950s, the UK Home Office turned the tunnels into
emergency government offices in case of a nuclear attack.
The current owner of Drakelow Tunnels has recently announced
plans to turn the site into a museum.
Police officers were briefed in advance on the historic nature of
the venue and the operation was carried out in a way to cause as
little disturbance as possible within the complex, Purcell said.
Cannabis remains the most seized illegal drug in England.
According to Home Office statistics, 12,267 kilograms of
marijuana and 507,401 cannabis plants were confiscated by the
police and border service last year.