More than 2,000 cannabis plans – with a street value of up to £1m – were discovered during a major drugs bust in Cambridgeshire last night. The raid on an industrial estate near Peterborough was carried out by Hertfordshire police with support from neighbourhood police officers in Cambridgeshire.
A spokesperson for Hertfordshire Police confirmed today that the raid was initiated by their specialist operational support group.
“The factory was identified as part of a wider investigation into cross border commercial cannabis production,” said the spokesperson.
“Officers attended an industrial property in Eagle Business Park, Yaxley and uncovered over 2000 cannabis plants.
“Two men have been arrested in connection with the factory and are in police custody at this time.”
Dozens of police officers were involved in last night’s raid on the unit at Harrier Way on the Eagle Business Park.
And many officers have been there throughout today bagging up and collecting the plants for removal.
Scene of crime officers have been busy, too, hunting for evidence to link it to other illegal drug operations.
Exclusive video obtained by CambsNews show just part of the scene that greeted officers as they entered the building – row up row of cannabis plants ‘fed’ by electric that had been illegally diverted to the premises.
A mezzanine floor is thought to have been added to create an expanded drugs ‘growing’ area.
Police declined to offer access to the unit whilst forensics were called to begin a closer examination of the unit.
UK Power have workers at the scene to regularise the electricity supply which is thought to have been tampered with illegally to enable the drugs factory to operate.
One nearby businessman posted to social media that “our warehouse unit on Harrier Way had a power cut for 2 hours last night so it must have been due to this!
“Must have really messed up the electrics if they had to cut a majority of the road to balance it.”
As of this afternoon police were still at the unit, bagging up and removing cannabis plants.
The building is part of a large complex of units built by Barnack Estates who recently completed the construction of the 18-acre site and the second phase of Eagle Business Park.
Since the launch of this phase at the end of 2017, Barnack says it has been a remarkably successful industrial scheme, due to the quality of the units and environment created.
Eagle Business Park, which fronts on to Broadway, Yaxley was established in 2010 and the first phases were soon developed by Barnack Estates UK Ltd to occupy its original 25.7-acre site. The second phase has seen a further 18.38 acres of commercial development, a total of 44.08 acres by Barnack Estates UK Ltd.
One of its prime attractions – clearly seized upon by the bosses of the cannabis factory – is the road access to Peterborough’s Parkway road system and the A1(M) Norman Cross junction.
