£345,000 cannabis farm found in former Rotherham costume shop
Local intelligence was used to discover the large-scale operation
South Yorkshire Police have discovered a large-scale cannabis farm worth an estimated £345,000 in Rotherham.
Officers from the local Neighbourhood Policing Team were alerted to a property that had previously functioned as a costume shop.
On Thursday (January 16th), using local intelligence from concerned residents, a drugs warrant was issued to search the property on Rowms Lane in the Swinton area of the town.
When officers entered the building, they found 345 plants, each with an estimated street value of £1,000, bringing the total value of the plantation to be £345,000.
All plants discovered in the building have since been seized, to be destroyed by officers.
During their investigation, it was discovered that electricity supplying the building had been rerouted from other properties; this has now been secured.
Speaking on the discovery, Lesley Fretwell from South Yorkshire Police said: "Drugs have no place in our communities.
"Cannabis isn’t a harmless substance – it funds organised crime and is linked to the exploitation of vulnerable people.
"We will carry on gathering intelligence and working with partners to create safer communities.
"We would urge the public to report any concerns to us. Look out for signs that a property is potentially being used for illegal activity.”