Inside the cannabis factory tucked away on a Weldon industrial estate

Eight people were arrested following the discovery of a huge cannabis factory on a tiny industrial estate surrounded by homes in Weldon.

Police deployed a helicopter to catch suspects who scattered following the discovery of the factory at about 4am on Friday (January 31). They eventually arrested eight males on suspicion of being involved in the production of the plants aged between 15 and 52.

The Northants Telegraph visited the scene on Friday but local reporters were asked to adhere to a media blackout in order for officers to complete a sensitive part of their investigations.

Now, we can reveal that hundreds of plants at different stages of growth were discovered when officers raided Unit 8 at the Gretton Road Industrial Estate.

The fully-grown plants were ready to harvest, meaning they were about three months old. There were also seedlings and plants between one and two months old.

Local people have reported smelling cannabis in the area recently. The unit was surrounded by other business and backed on to Bramblewood Road.

The run-down unit had a metal grille at the door and was surrounded by metal fencing. Front windows of the unit were obscured with old car bumpers.

Western Power Distribution were on site on Friday to make the building safe before police officers removed the plants and the infrastructure over the weekend.

This is the latest in a string of cannabis factories found in industrial buildings in a Corby during the past year. In February 2019 officers found thousands of plants in Cronin Road.

And just a month later they found another factory on the Earlstrees Industrial Estate.

Then in December officers sniffed out a huge factory in South Folds Road on the Oakley Hay industrial estate.

PC Mark Walker of the Neighbourhood Policing Team has asked landlords of industrial buildings to get in touch with him if they have any suspicions that their premises might be being used for growing cannabis.

You can email him on [email protected]