The drug farm

10:03am Monday 9th April 2007

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POLICE seized up to 10,000 cannabis plants after discovering a semi-detached house in a quiet Whitefield cul-de-sac had been transformed into a thriving drugs factory.

Officers stumbled across the giant cannabis farm at the three-bedroom property in Woodlands Avenue, at around 6.30pm on Tuesday. They had been responding to reports of a possible burglary.

Inside the house, police found the large number of cannabis plants being cultivated. They also discovered a substantial amount of electrical equipment, believed to be lamps, which generate a significant amount of heat critical to the cultivation process.

It was the second major cannabis farm found in the borough within four days. Last Saturday, firefighters called to a blaze at a property in Nelson Street, Bury, found 250 cannabis plants and 200 heat lamps.

In the latest incident, Greater Manchester Police said that between 8,000 and 10,000 cannabis plants were found.

Neighbours have told the Guide that they were under the impression that the property had been rented out.

One resident witnessed police officers arriving at the property on Tuesday. She said: "The street was full of police vans and cars and there must have been 15 officers surrounding the house.

"It was rented to some oriental people and we thought it was strange as we never saw them move in but suddenly they were there. All the curtains in the house were kept closed and they must have put some huge, thick blanket behind the front door as you never saw any light coming from the house.

"They did not seem to live there which we could not understand. Why pay a large rent for a house and not live there? But the red sensor on the alarm box outside was always flickering as if it was always on. We always thought there was something funny going on.

"It took two police vans to take out the plants in brown paper bags and they must have been at it for four to five hours.

"They obviously knew what they were doing as they had all the right equipment to grow it. What amazes me is how they got it in and out without none of us noticing.

"Once a month there would be a note pinned to the door with electric and gas meter readings so they obviously did not want anyone to go into the house. To think something like that has been going on in a quiet little street like this is just amazing."

Another neighbour said: "It was a real shock. They moved in after the summer when the owner began renting it out. They were oriental and I remember seeing a man and a woman with a teenager. They were very strange, we never saw them and all the windows were always closed and I never spoke to them."

Inspector Dave Rycroft, of Whitefield Police, said: "Apart from the kitchen and bathroom, every other room contained the plants. People are being actively sought, but no arrests have been made yet. "