Major cannabis factory uncovered at Birmingham tower block

Hundreds of plants with an estimated street value of tens of thousands of pounds were found at the block near to Fort Dunlop, in Birmingham.

Officers discovered the factory in Warstone Tower, off Bromford Drive, on Thursday(24) after a member of the public called police.

Secure doors had been fitted and electricity and water had been diverted to help the growing operation.

Cannabis was found growing on the 13th floor – with equipment also found on the 14th and 15th floors.

Five men were arrested at the scene on suspicion of cannabis cultivation and remain in police custody.

Detective Inspector Jim Church, from West Midlands Police Force CID, said: "This is a sophisticated, organised crime operation that has clearly been running for some time, but which we've now been able to dismantle.

"We will be working throughout the day to establish the full scale of it and make the property safe.”