Two Albanian men arrested over £1m cannabis crop found in Rhondda
Police discovered the drugs growing on every floor of the former Apollo nightclub last week
Police discovered the drugs growing on every floor of the former Apollo nightclub last week
Two Albanian men, in their 20s, have been charged after an estimated £1m worth of cannabis was found growing in an iconic Rhondda building.
After receiving information from the public, police executed a drugs warrant and raided the old Apollo nightclub building on Aberhondda Road, Porth, last Thursday, where they discovered more than 1,000 cannabis plants.
Rhondda Sergeant Chris Peters said: "This was a massive and timely find. It is one of the biggest, most sophisticated operations I have come across to date, which was capable of generating drugs worth millions over a 12 month period.
"It looks like we got here just in time, as many plants were ready for harvest and would have been changing hands on the streets in no time.
"The building has only been redundant for around three months which is enough time for one yield. But the fruits of this organised crime group's labour, has been seized by us, so they have taken a big hit."
The nationals, charged with producing a Class B controlled drug, will appear at Merthyr Crown Court on Friday, July 11.
During the raid last week, police discovered the bar areas and dance floors inside the building were found to be vast growing spaces converted solely for the use of cannabis production.
The first floor was used as a nursery for newly potted plants, and the ground and second floor was being used for plants at mid to late stages of growth.
Mature plants discovered on the top floor were ready for harvest, and officers said within a matter of weeks, or even days, they would have been bound for Rhondda's streets.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk 01/07/2014
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