Inside town centre cannabis factory with over 300 plants

Officers from Central South Swindon Neighbourhood Team yesterday executed a warrant at an abandoned phone shop on Regent Street, Swindon.

Inside the former Town Mobile building, they discovered a 'substantial' cannabis factory with more than 300 plants.

Inside the cannabis factory found in Swindon town centre (Image: Wiltshire Police)

Each plant is said to have a street value of somewhere between £400 and £1,000 depending on the quality. This means that the plants found by police are estimated to be worth somewhere between £250,000 - £285,000. 

Each factory also has a yield of plants every four months or so, meaning that this particular location could have been turning over close to £1million a year depending on how long it has been in operation. 

Specialist police officers have been seen examining the disused phone shop on Regent Street throughout the day today. 

Police said there were over 300 plants inside (Image: Swindon Police)

One police car is parked outside the shop on Regent Street and five more are parked on Edgware Road to access the property from the back, including two crime scene investigation vans from Forensic Services and a van from Avon and Somerset Police.

The building appears to be unoccupied and no arrests have yet been made.

People in the area can expect to see increased police activity as officers carried out investigations. 

Police activity outside their illegal discovery (Image: Newsquest)

Sergeant Tristan Winter of the Swindon Neighbourhood Central South team said: “It was concerning as there was a clear risk caused by the unsafe electrical set up.

“Thanks to intelligence supplied by the local community, we have been able to disrupt the activity and make the building safe.”

If you suspect you’ve seen a drugs factory or witnessed any other kind of antisocial behaviour, please report it to police via 101, online or to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

In an emergency, always call 999.