Large cannabis farm discovered in abandoned poultry shed near Burbage
Police discovered a large cannabis farm with over 1,000 plants in an abandoned poultry shed near Burbage.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Police have uncovered what is believed to be one of the largest cannabis farms ever found in the region, hidden inside an abandoned poultry shed near Burbage in Wiltshire. Officers discovered more than 1,000 cannabis plants at the site, which they described as a highly sophisticated operation. The street value of the crop is estimated at half a million pounds.
In addition to the plants, detectives say that around one and a half million pounds worth of electricity was being stolen directly from the national grid to power the farm. The scale of the electricity theft suggests the operation had been running for some time and involved significant infrastructure. No arrests have been reported yet, and the investigation is ongoing.
The discovery was made in a rural area, highlighting the trend of criminal gangs using remote agricultural buildings for illegal cannabis cultivation. The abandoned poultry shed provided concealment and access to power, making it an attractive location for such an operation. Police have not released further details about the investigation or any suspects at this stage.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | ITV |
|---|---|
| A cannabis farm with over 1,000 plants and stolen electricity worth £1.5 million was found in an abandoned poultry shed near Burbage, Wiltshire. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1 focused on the scale and sophistication of the cannabis farm, highlighting the estimated street value and the significant electricity theft. The report also included other unrelated local news stories, but the cannabis farm coverage was concise and factual, relying on police statements.
- “Police say it was a highly sophisticated set up with more than 1,000 plants at an estimated street value of half a million pounds.”
- “Detectives reckon around one and a half million pounds worth of electricity was illegally drawn directly from the national grid to power the farm.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.