A CANNABIS farm was discovered yesterday, with more than 350 plants now destroyed.

The farm was discovered in Radcliffe on Tuesday February 2 by police officers from the local neighbourhood team and was dismantled and destroyed shortly afterwards.

This comes amid several recent discoveries of cannabis in the area.

Speaking this morning, a Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: "Officers from the Radcliffe Neighbourhood Team continue to prevent and reduce crime.

"Yesterday they discovered a large cannabis farm of over 350 plants.

"The farm was dismantled and the cannabis destroyed."

Bury Times:

The farm was discovered in Radcliffe

Officers have been cracking down more generally on the Class B drug and its production over recent months.

Only yesterday a driver was stopped on Bury Old Road for driving while under the influence of cannabis, while farms have been discovered throughout the boroughs of both Bury and Bolton.

In January this year, three farms were uncovered, equating to hundreds of plants, across the Bury area.

The next month, four farms were discovered across the borough, coming to a street value of £1million, on February 8.

Bury Times:

More than 350 plants were found

Speaking about cannabis farms across the area, a spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “Cannabis farms are usually large industrial set-ups funded, organised and run by professional criminals who are part of organised crime groups.

"This is not one person 'enjoying a spliff' on the weekend.

“The criminals setting up these farms are greedy.

"This is just one of the illicit attempts to make money they use.

"They are also involved in human trafficking and forced prostitution, running of heroin and firearms and the defence of their "crops" resulting in conflicts with other criminals and violence on our streets.”

“The farms regularly set on fire due to electricity bypasses causing risk to neighbouring properties, innocent except for living next door or nearby.

“You may have an opinion on cannabis as a drug, but the people setting and running these farms are organised criminals and need to be behind bars."

Anyone concerned about cannabis production in their community can call police on 101 or can report it anonymously via CrimeStoppers by calling 0800 555 111.