The garden's full of weed: Drug dealer builds 16ft tunnel to underground cannabis factory
Police seized a few plants inside the house but then uncovered the tunnel - and found 158 plants with a street value of £86,000
Police seized a few plants inside the house but then uncovered the tunnel - and found 158 plants with a street value of £86,000
A drug dealer grew cannabis in a shipping container beneath his garden and dug a 16ft tunnel to it from his cellar.
Adrian James, 43, used a JCB to bury the drugs factory and covered it with 3ft of soil.
He then concealed the entrance of the tunnel by putting a false wall covered with tools .
Police raided his semi-detached house after a tip-off in October 2011.
They seized a few plants but then uncovered the tunnel - and found 158 plants with a street value of £86,000.
James, who was jailed for three years at Nottingham crown court after he admitted producing cannabis, had hydroponics equipment with timer switches and an automatic watering system for the plantation.
PC Steve Fenyn of Nottingham police said: "It was quite a surprise to discover this sophisticated set-up.
"It would have taken significant time and efforts to dig up the garden, put the freight container in and cover it up, then dig a tunnel into the house.
"The automatic set-up inside the container required little maintenance from James.
"There's no doubt cannabis production would have continued here had it not been discovered."
Neighbours were clueless about the drugs factory.
One said: "Nobody had a clue. He kept it well concealed and it was pretty enterprising. He went to a lot of time and effort.
"You can't condone his actions though. He deserved to get caught."
http://www.mirror.co.uk 07/02/2013
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