£2m of cannabis seized in factory raid

12:23pm Saturday 20th September 2008

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POLICE have raided a cannabis factory, with an estimated yield of more than £2m per year, in Lee Green.

The 20,000 square foot factory premises in Old Street, off Lee High Road, contained 2,500 mature cannabis plants and had been rewired to bypass the electricity supply.

The doors had also been modified with wires to give an early warning of a raid.

Officers from Lee Green and Lewisham safer neighbour teams searched the three storey factory premises under warrant on Thursday (September 18).

On the 7,000 square foot second floor officers found 2,500 mature cannabis plants and recovered equipment and fertiliser used for growing and harvesting cannabis.

And there was evidence that work been done to prepare the first floor of the building for growing cannabis plants.

A home-made flamethrower was also found at the premises.

PS Simon Hedges of Lee Green Safer Neighbourhood Team said: "This discovery is one of the biggest ever made in this borough and it has potentially prevented millions pounds of cannabis being sold on the streets of London.

"Potentially this building, once all the floors had been converted, could have produced an annual harvest of £6m."

Anyone with information should call Lee Green Safer Neighbourhoods Team on 020 8721 2482 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.