Cannabis farm with hundreds of plants worth almost £500,000 discovered in Market Drayton raid - man arrested
A cannabis farm estimated to be worth almost half a million pounds has been discovered in a raid in Market Drayton.
Officers from Market Drayton's Safer Neighbourhood Team swarmed an address on Salisbury Road in the north Shropshire town this morning (June 24).
Police discovered 492 mature cannabis plants across three rooms, as well as the loft, with a total estimated street value of £492,000.
West Mercia Police added that electricity within the property had also been tampered with.
A man, aged 51, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of producing cannabis and was taken into police custody, where he remains.
Police carried out the warrant following concerns that were raised by members of the local community.
It was one of two major drug busts carried out by West Mercia Police officers this morning - officers discovered a cannabis grow worth approximately £100,000 at a raid in Telford.
Sergeant Liam Heathcote said: "Cannabis farms such as the one discovered today in Market Drayton are often linked to serious and organised crime gangs.
"The drugs they sell have a negative impact on our communities and can lead to other criminality, or the harm and exploitation of vulnerable people.
"Shutting down this grow shows we will not tolerate criminal activity within our communities, and that we will act on information provided to us by the public."
Both raids came as part of Neighbourhood Policing Week, in which the force is highlighting some of the work local officers do in keeping communities safe.
West Mercia Police has 82 Safer Neighbourhood Teams (SNTs) covering each county of Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Throughout this week, the force said it will shine a light on the "hard work and dedication" of its SNTs.
Assistant Chief Constable Grant Wills said: "For many in both our rural and urban communities, our Safer Neighbourhood Teams are the face of policing and are vital to us in helping solve community problems.
"As well as being a reassuring presence, they also have a hugely important role in directly tackling crime, campaigns such as knife crime, drug reduction and anti-social behaviour, our Safer Neighbourhood Teams are pivotal in combating issues that often impact most on the community.
"I am extremely proud of the role they perform; of how accessible and visible they are to local people, and we are keen to recognise and celebrate that throughout this week."
