Millionaire's Row cannabis factory found by West Midlands Police

A CANNABIS factory found on the Midlands’ Millionaire’s Row could have flooded the region with thousands of pounds worth of drugs, it emerged today.

Police revealed the drugs bust, which smashed three cannabis factories, prevented £500,000-worth of drugs from hitting the streets of the West Midlands – double their initial estimates.

One of the drug dens was found in a gated seven-bed mansion in Roman Road, in leafy Little Aston, to the horror of neighbours in the road where property prices routinely top £1 million.

Sixteen people, five women and 11 men and all believed to be Vietnamese, were due before Walsall magistrates today charged with conspiracy to cultivate cannabis. Another man was released on bail pending further inquiries.

Police said several rooms at the Roman Road property contained plants in various stages of growth. The cannabis factory was one of three uncovered in swoops on Tuesday by 50 officers led by Walsall’s Proactive Crime Unit.

Police confirmed the Roman Road house was being rented out but it was not clear how long it had been let out for.

Det Chief Insp Neil Evans, of Walsall police, said the plants were in the early stage of cultivation and it was believed the factory had not been in operation long.

“This was part of intelligence gathered from previous raids and from the public. We believe the addresses raided were linked. We expect to make further arrests in due course.”


Source: http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2010/03/04/west-midlands-police-find-cannabis-factory-in-millionaire-s-row-97319-25958071/