Police Discover £1M Cannabis Factory in Former Huntingdon Store

Police uncovered a large cannabis factory in a former Poundland and Woolworths store in Huntingdon town centre, containing over 1,000 plants across 20 rooms with a street value exceeding £1 million. The premises had been booby-trapped with an electrified door, requiring UK Power Networks and the electricity board to make the building safe before police entry. No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing, with officers emphasizing the illegal nature of cannabis cultivation and its links to funding criminal enterprises. Neighbourhood Inspector Colin Norden highlighted signs that may indicate a cannabis factory, such as frequent visitors at unsocial hours, blacked-out windows, bright lights at night, tampered electricity meters, and high electricity bills. Police have seized the plants and growing equipment, continuing efforts to disrupt drug dealing networks and urging the public to provide information about suspicious activities. The former Woolworths store closed in 2008, became a 99p shop, and has been vacant since 2021.