Cannabis farm run out of gym grounds

DRUGS HAUL . . . A police officer checks the quantity of cannabis plants seized

Detectives have swooped on a major cannabis farm in Hathershaw and closed down a lucrative drugs supply line.

The operation, run out of cargo containers in the grounds of Hathershaw Gym, in Hadfield Street, is the latest in a series of crackdowns on cannabis-growing by Oldham CID.

A dozen officers were involved in the raid at 8.15am on Wednesday. One man was arrested and police expect to make more arrests.

Inside containers at the side of the gym site they found nearly 50 cannabis plants under cultivation. Another 20 plants were drying at the end of the growing operation.

Power for the bright lights necessary to grow cannabis was being fed from the gym, said detectives.

But no one was at the gym when police swooped and no one arrived to open it later. Detective Constable Darren Grafton said: “Oldham CID’s operational unit executed a warrant from the magistrates court under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

“This was known as Operation Hokum and we have been working on this for some time.

“About a dozen officers raided these premises and found a cannabis farm.

“There were a great many plants in various stages of growth. This was a commercial operation and quite a big find.

“The raid took place as a result of information received and our inquiries over the last two months.”

At the scene, officer in charge Detective Constable Dave Milwood said: “There was no one at the gym but we made one arrest on site.

“The containers had all the usual growing equipment inside. Our raid was the latest in a series of recent raids in the Oldham area.

“We take these cannabis farms very seriously and we have now taken this farm out of action.”

The Chronicle tried to contact the owners of the gym without success.