Culture & Entertainment · India Bureau
UK police dismantle major cannabis operation in abandoned retail store
British authorities have uncovered a sophisticated cannabis cultivation facility worth approximately £1.3 million inside a shuttered department store in southern England. The discovery resulted in prison sentences for two men involved in the large-scale operation.
LSN India ·
Thames Valley Police discovered the illegal cannabis factory within a disused BHS retail outlet in Slough, a town west of London. Officers found more than 1,700 cannabis plants distributed across two floors of the abandoned store, representing a significant commercial growing operation.
Investigators estimated the cultivated crop could yield approximately 150 kilograms of cannabis with a potential street value of £1.288 million. The scale of the operation indicated it was designed for large-scale distribution rather than personal use.
Following the discovery and subsequent investigation, two men pleaded guilty to their involvement in operating the facility. Both were sentenced to 14 months in prison, reflecting the serious nature of the commercial drug cultivation charges.
The operation highlights how criminals continue to exploit vacant commercial properties across the United Kingdom for drug manufacturing purposes. Police efforts to identify and dismantle such facilities remain an ongoing priority for law enforcement agencies tackling organised drug production networks.