Police busted a £1 million cannabis factory in Bath during a missing person search.
A member of the public approached officers and claimed to have seen people coming and going from an abandoned property along Windsor Bridge Road.
They attended the location and discovered a strong smell of cannabis. A police drone was flown over the building and signs of a cannabis factory were found.
Avon and Somerset Police subsequently applied for a drug warrant – which was carried out in the early hours of this morning (Thursday).
Inside, more than 1,000 suspected cannabis plants – estimated to be worth around £1 million – were discovered, along with a “sophisticated” set up for cultivation.
Inspector Ziyad Asfour said: “This was a great piece of proactive policing from our patrol team.
“We would like to thank the member of the public for approaching us with their concerns and this discovery has prevented further harm to the community of Bath by keeping drugs off the streets.
“It is not just a crime growing the cannabis and selling it but it is the other associated crimes linked with drugs. Anti-social behaviour, theft, assault, and many more are just a few incidents we see associated with drugs.
“We will carry out a full and thorough investigation in an effort to identify those people involved.”
Bath Commander CI Scott Hill said: “This is a clear example of how we can work with our communities in Bath and the surrounding towns and villages to report suspicious behaviour.
“This allows us to develop intelligence which protects the public from harm and hold those who choose to commit crimes to account.
“We will be relentless in tackling drug supply within Bath and rely on the support of the public to achieve these aims.”
