PSNI charge 72 Asians over cannabis factories

More than 70 people from South East Asia have been charged in connection with a £15m (€18m) drug manufacturing operation in the North, police revealed today.

A total of 103 separate cannabis factories have been uncovered by the PSNI so far this year, with around 27,000 plants and 410lb (186kg) of herbal cannabis seized.

The majority of the 72 people charged are illegal immigrants and are not believed to have links to the settled Chinese community in the region.

Police are investigating a possible link to international triad crime gangs.

PSNI Chief Inspector Peter Moore said detectives believe the drugs were being manufactured for a market outside Northern Ireland and may have been bound for the illegal street trade overseas.

“It would be foolish to say we have completely eradicated the problem of cannabis factories in Northern Ireland but we have made a significant number of seizures and arrests,” he said.

“We have taken a robust, proactive approach to dealing with this problem and it has delivered positive results.

“Our efforts will substantially reduce the likelihood of something similar happening again.”