Zim GBC News | International Desk
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE, UK – In an almost cinematic discovery, more than 240 cannabis plants were found growing inside a concealed drainage culvert running beneath the M1 motorway near Watford village.
The sophisticated, yet bizarre, setup was uncovered on Friday, November 28, by maintenance workers from National Highways, who promptly alerted the Northamptonshire Police.
Access to the closed tunnel—normally used to channel water under the carriageways—had been boarded up to hide the illegal plantation inside. Dismantling the operation proved treacherous due to heavy rainfall, but officers from the Daventry Neighbourhood Policing Team persevered with the help of a local landowner who provided transport and trailers.
Daventry Neighbourhood Policing Inspector Jonathan Davis-Lyons remarked on the unusual find:
“This must be one of the most unusual locations we have discovered a cannabis grow, but it just demonstrates the length criminals will go to produce this high-value commodity.”
He described the interior as a carefully organized operation, noting,
“Once inside the drainage culvert, we found a sophisticated set up which included extensive shelving to ensure the plants were kept above water and power diverted for lighting and other equipment needed to maintain the plants.”
Leading the investigation, Daventry Neighbourhood Policing Sergeant Lewis Judd highlighted the challenges faced during the operation:
“This was a particularly difficult cannabis grow to dismantle due to the torrential rain and the remote location. The nearest road access to the tunnel was about a mile away, but thanks to the generosity and support of a local landowner who provided us with transport and trailers, we were able to close it down.”
No arrests have been made in connection with the grow, and police are appealing to the public for information that could help identify those responsible.
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