Police say a cannabis factory found in Watford is the largest ever in Hertfordshire.

More than 1,000 cannabis plants with a street value of more than £1 million were seized when police raided two warehouses in the Shakespeare Industrial Estate, off Leavesden Road, after a tip-off last Thursday (May 23)

Inside they found more than 1,400 cannabis plants – the most seized from a farm in Hertfordshire to date – as well as 10kg of bagged cannabis.

Watford Observer:

Two Albanian nationals were found living at the site.

They are being treated as victims of modern slavery and cared for with help from a local charity.

Police estimate the factory had been running in the warehouses, not far from Watford Junction station, for around six months.

The raid was made after a tip off to the Watford Safer Neighbourhood Team by a member of the community.

It is believed the equipment used to set up the factory would have cost around £60,000.

No arrests have been made. Enquiries are continuing to trace those responsible for setting up the factory and cultivating the plants.

A witness said a police van pulled up and around five or six officers forced their way into one of the warehouses. After two men were detained, a large number of officers joined existing officers at the scene.

Watford Observer:

The operation involved officers from the Watford Operational Support Group (OSG), supported by PCSOs from the Watford safer neighbourhood team.

Sergeant Dave Perkins, who led the operation, said: “We are very pleased that we have prevented such a large amount of drugs from reaching the streets. The offenders had also illegally bypassed the electricity supply when setting up the factory, creating a potential fire hazard and putting innocent lives in danger.

“Drug dealing and the associated criminality can directly affect the lives of those in the vicinity and I want to reassure residents that we will always act on intelligence that suggests drugs
are being cultivated.

“This seizure is a direct result of intelligence we received from the local community who reported their suspicions to us. The information we receive from members of the public is absolutely vital in helping us to tackle drug crime in Hertfordshire.”