WATCH: Police uncover huge cannabis factory worth £3 million in Digbeth

Police uncovered a huge cannabis factory suspected to be run by an organised crime gang after raiding a disused warehouse in Digbeth.

Officers forced entry to the unit in Bradford Street, at 9.45am yesterday (6 January) and found a sprawling cannabis factory across three storeys.

A total of 3,112 plants were recovered with a value of around £3-million.

West Midlands police suspect it’s being used to fund organised crime.

Three Vietnamese men who are believed to be in the country illegally were arrested at the premises and later charged with cannabis cultivation.

The men aged 26, 36 and 36, were due to appear at Birmingham Magistrates Court today (January 7) in connection with the find.

Officers also found the electricity supply had been bypassed to power the extensive lighting and extraction system – and a trench dug into the road to tap into the mains.

What have police said about the cannabis factory?

Cannabis Disposal Team Manager, Mike Hall said: “This was a really extensive set-up, not the biggest we’ve encountered but certainly up there in terms of scale.

“We received intelligence suggesting the property was being used as a drugs factory and acted quickly on that information to execute a warrant.

“We always value information like this and take it seriously: if anyone suspects a property near them is being used to cultivate drugs then please get in touch.

“Cannabis factories like this are often linked to organised and violent crime, tend to attract anti-social behaviour, and are serious fire risks because of the way electricity is bypassed and the dodgy wiring.”

Anyone with information is asked to message West Midlands police on Live Chat through their website or call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

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