Police investigating reports of a fire in a derelict building instead stumbled across a huge cannabis factory.
Officers, and crews from Lancashire Fire & Rescue, were called to Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, on December 28, 2019 to reports of a fire at the Foxhill Bank premises.
They discovered a large scale cannabis factory with 735 plants located in ten rooms over four floors. The electricity had been bypassed and a male was hiding in a loft space.
He was arrested for cannabis production offences.
PS Corbett of the Hyndburn Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “This was an extremely well developed set up with an estimated value of around £367.000.
“Unfortunately set ups of this scale and value are not uncommon in East Lancashire and I would urge members of the public with information to contact Police in confidence to report suspicious activity.”
Officers are continuing with enquiries into this matter and the male has been remanded in custody pending a further appearance at court on January 30 2020.
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