Huge £500,000 cannabis farm discovered in disused Wiltshire poultry unit

One of the largest cannabis farms ever uncovered in Wiltshire has been dismantled after police discovered around 1,500 cannabis plants with an estimated street value of £500,000.

The large-scale cultivation site was found inside a disused poultry unit near Burbage after a member of the public alerted police.

Wiltshire Police said the sophisticated operation had been built inside the barn, which had been converted into multiple growing rooms containing cannabis plants at various stages of development.

Detective Sergeant Joe Shanklin said the illegal setup included electricity stolen directly from the National Grid to power hundreds of grow lamps, along with a fully operational irrigation system.

"The sophisticated setup included electricity illegally drawn directly from the National Grid to power hundreds of grow lamps, as well as a full irrigation system," he said.

Police estimate that approximately £1.5 million worth of electricity had been illegally taken to keep the operation running.

Officers also discovered evidence suggesting several people had been living at the site, with makeshift bedrooms and cooking facilities found inside the converted barn.

Det Sgt Shanklin described the discovery as one of significant scale.

"The scale of this operation is significant and appears to have been in place for a substantial period of time," he added.

The cannabis factory was uncovered on Friday after a member of the public reported suspicious activity.

No arrests have been made, and Wiltshire Police confirmed that all seized cannabis plants and equipment will be destroyed as the investigation continues.