See 51 pictures of Cannabis farms shutdown by West Midlands Police this year

Discoveries by West Midlands Police's Cannabis Disposal Team in 2014 are valued at a whopping £40million

These pictures show the hidden spaces cops unearthed a staggering 85,000 cannabis plants across the Midlands this year.

West Midlands Cannabis Disposal Team (WMCDT) estimates the finds from inside disused pubs, factories, city centre flats and elsewhere to be worth a whopping £40million.

The unit is called in to seize the plants whenever a cannabis farm is found by frontline officers or reported by members of the public.

And this year its officers have had their work cut out -destroying an extra 15,000 plants (valued at £10million) this year compared to last.

Its largest recent discovery saw 2,224 plants seized in a Dudley factory.

Another farm left a Balsall Heath residential property dangerously unsafe after growers knocked through the building’s supporting walls to squeeze in 1,682 plants.

While the anti-drug squad had to go underground themselves to reach another large stash hidden under shipping container in a remote field.

Confiscated items used to grow cannabis -such as ultra violet light fittings- have been donated to a number of Birmingham-based sports clubs.

International cricket venue Edgbaston Cricket Ground and Birmingham tennis club The Priory have both benefited from the scheme.

The pictures were posted them on the WMCDT's Twitter feed to show their work weeding out cannabis factories across the region.

WMCDT manager, Mike Hall, said: "The 85,000 plants seized and destroyed by us over the last year is largely down to the community bringing this to our notice.

"People simply don’t want drugs blighting the places they live and work in and they tell us they don’t want it by communicating their concerns and suspicions to us.

"Criminals are using more inventive ways to conceal cannabis grows but we listen to those people who have suspicions and act upon them.

"We have found in hidden rooms, underground and even in the back rooms of shops. We found them largely due to members of the public engaging with us in order to help protect their community.

"Each one of those 85,000 plants had its own crime wave prevented: the plants won’t end up as street deals, the profits won’t go on to fund other areas of crime and they won’t ruin lives or pollute our communities."

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/news-opinion/see-51-pictures-cannabis-farms-8310139 17/12/2014