UK cannabis supplies could be hit by casino find

Northamptonshire Police said it carried out a warrant at the building on Commercial Street at 09:00 GMT on Thursday

One of the largest cannabis factories to ever be uncovered in Northamptonshire has been found in an old casino building.

Police carried out a search warrant at about 09:00 GMT at the former Aspers casino, in Commercial Street in Northampton.

Officers found thousands of cannabis plants across four floors, with efforts made to keep intruders out - including bricked-up doors and rooms reinforced with steel.

"It's going to make a massive difference to the drug supply chain here in Northampton, and possibly in the UK," said Sgt Rodney Williams.

Police used chainsaws to gain access to the building, where they found an "exceptionally large" and organised set up

Northamptonshire Police have yet to put a value on the haul due to its sheer size.

Nicola Davis-Lyons, a neighbourhood policing inspector, told BBC Look East thousands of people had likely walked past the building, with no idea what was happening inside.

She added it was important for the force to check unused buildings for such operations.

"A production on this scale involves a lot of organisation and there will be an organised crime group behind it," she said.

"Quite often, they traffic and exploit people into operations like this, probably under threat of violence and that's a side people don't often see.

"This isn't just about cannabis or seizing drugs - it's about identifying and targeting those who cause harm, exploit vulnerable people, and use them in operations like this."

Work continues to dismantle the setup inside the old casino building

A 36-year-old man was arrested during the raid on suspicion of cultivating cannabis and remained in police custody.

Sgt Williams said the find would make a dent in drug supply chains locally and in the UK .

"I've been involved in Northampton Police for 30 years and in that time as a frontline police officer, this is way above the biggest cannabis factory that I have been involved in," he said.