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Huge drug farm found under the ground
Last updated at 02:07am on 30.03.08A huge underground cannabis farm has been uncovered by police who swooped on eight buried shipping containers.
They held 300 marijuana plants and were accessed from an above-ground shipping container. Light and heat was provided by a generator.
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The farm held 300 marijuana plants and were accessed from an above-ground shipping container
Firemen alerted police last week when they spotted the generator while putting out a caravan blaze on the land at Leigh Water Mill Farm, near Burgess Hill, West Sussex.
There have been two suspected arson attacks at the farm in the last month, which police believe could be linked to the drugs production.
Detective Sergeant John Wallace said: "This was ingenious.
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Police swooped on the eight buried shipping containers
"I have never heard anything like it. It had been functioning to produce a significant amount of drugs.
"It appears to have been used for some period, possibly a number of years. Potentially, this find will make some sort of impact on the amount of drugs available on the street."
Neighbours said there was a lot of activity at night but assumed that was because one of the people at the farm was a lorry driver.
A neighbour said: "Thinking about it now, it does seem suspicious that there was so much going on at night."
No arrests have been made.
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An overview of the farm, at at Leigh Water Mill Farm, near Burgess Hill, West Sussex
Reader views (2)
Actually, marijuana has killed people. All street pot contains carcinogens. Also, impaired driving while under the effect of weed has killed people. Unless you live in a cave, you know the cartels that deal this drug can be violent and deadly. This crime is not as "victimless" as you suggest. You can walk around with pothead blinders on, but unfortunately, that doesn't do anything to bring back the lives of people killed as a result of this and other drugs at their source. Now, I'm all for legalizing it, because Phillip Morris would put them all out of business, but we need to keep the discussion honest.
- TwistedCross, Orlando, FL, 13/07/2010 08:13
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The drug problem will now be solved? Nope, since the demand remains, drugs will still arrive, seeing the profit motive is there. So instead of preventing crime which has 'victims', these police officers have been forced to use their time enforcing drug laws which won't work. Marijuana has never killed anyone, ever. Thousands die yearly from tylenol overdoses, not to mention alcohol! The (ruinously expensive) war on (some) drugs has failed!
- Jeff In Chicago, Chicago, USA, 30/03/2008 17:18
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