Cannabis plants worth £1m found in ex-nightclub

There were thousands of plants on several floors of the empty building

Police have found cannabis plants with an estimated street value of £1m in a former nightclub.

Police used a warrant to search the premises in Mill Street in the centre of Bedford shortly after 10:00 BST on Tuesday, where officers discovered thousands of plants across several floors, including on an additional self-built level.

It is understood the building had not been used as a nightclub and had been empty for several months.

A Bedfordshire Police spokeswoman said no arrests had yet been made.

Police officers dismantling an area during the search for plants

Officers have been dismantling the cannabis factory, removing plants and specialist growing equipment.

Det Insp Ally Whitworth said the threat posed by illegal drug production and supply should not be underestimated.

"These operations are driven by organised criminal networks that fuel violence, exploitation and serious crime, using drug profits to fund further illegal and harmful activity," he said.

"Beyond this criminality, the operations themselves create significant safety hazards and attract antisocial behaviour, with damaging effects rippling throughout our communities."

Tell-tale signs

Bedfordshire Police said signs a building could be a cannabis factory include:

• frequent visitors at unsocial hours

• blacked-out windows or condensation on the windows, even when it is not cold

• bright lights throughout the night

• electricity meters being tampered with or altered

• new cabling, sometimes leading to street lighting

• high electricity bills

• a powerful, distinctive, sweet, sickly aroma

• noise from fans

• lots of work or deliveries, particularly of equipment like heaters and lighting

• lots of plant pots, chemicals, fertilisers and compost