Huge £2.8m cannabis factory found in old bingo hall after police notice strong smell – Mirror Online

A 2,000-strong cannabis factory growing in a derelict Bingo Hall has been uncovered by police.

The gold mine was found at The Gala Bingo building in Kettering on Friday and is thought to be worth a staggering £2.8 million.

Northamptonshire Police first became suspicious about the ex-Bingo when it started letting off a strong smell of marijuana.

A group of 25 officers armed with police dogs stormed the premises at around 10:30am to find every single corner of the hall taken up by a harvesting plant.

Thermal imaging shows every single corner of the ex-Bingo taken up by cannabis (Image: Northamptonshire Police / SWNS)

Police said the plants were three weeks from harvesting and distribution (Image: SWNS)

Pictures showed the Class B harvesters had a „sophisticated” system in place, inclusive of a hydroponic cultivation system.

Police said they would spend the day clearing the factory of the 2,000 plants, thought to be just three weeks away from distribution.

The plant had a 'sophisticated’ system in place (Image: SWNS)

The former bingo hall in Kettering (Image: SWNS)

PC Colin Gray said: „This is a significant find that will disrupt organised crime groups and the distribution of cannabis locally and further afield.

„It is one of the largest I have seen even when compared to a site we found in Corby earlier this year.”

The factory was growing 2,000 plants (Image: Northamptonshire Police / SWNS)

Police are yet to make any arrests (Image: SWNS)

No one was in the plant at the time officers raided, and no arrests have been made.

„These crime groups blight society by manufacturing and selling controlled drugs in Northamptonshire,” PC Gray added.

„We will never stop trying to bring them down and this type of activity will continue.”