Police find cannabis farms in old cinemas and banks

LONDON (Reuters) - Police uncovered more than 6,800 cannabis factories in the last year, a report said on Tuesday, with farms found everywhere from disused cinemas to former banks as the recession led to more vacant buildings.

The Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland said almost 750,000 cannabis plants, with a value of around 85 million pounds, were found in the financial year 2009/2010, up from around 576,800 the year before.

"There are currently a growing number of disused industrial and commercial buildings which are attracting criminals for the purposes of cannabis cultivation," the report said, with examples including former pubs, nightclubs, hotels and banks.

"These buildings are often already boarded up and are therefore desirable to criminals."

The largest recorded cannabis factory was found in Cambridgeshire in July this year, where more than 7,600 plants worth 2.5 million pounds were seized.

The government reclassified cannabis to a Class B drug, from Class C, in 2008, meaning those found in possession face tougher punishment, including a maximum five year jail term.

"The level of publicity around cannabis since its reclassification in 2008 has meant that more members of the community are now reporting any unusual signs of habitation in buildings and houses which is leading to more detections," said Metropolitan Police Commander Allan Gibson.

The two year report, "UK National Problem Profile, Commercial Cultivation of Cannabis," found most offenders were aged between 18 and 35, and were also involved in other crime, such as producing fake currency and DVDs, smuggling tobacco, and people-trafficking.

Many people, particularly from Vietnam and China, were trafficked in to Britain to work in the factories, police said.

Weapons found at cultivation sites included machetes, sawn-off shotguns, knives, stun guns and wooden bats.

"Some forces have reported incidents of cannabis factories being 'taxed' by other criminal groups," the report said. "This had led to those within the factories arming themselves in response."

Police also found hidden weapons, such as a mobile phone fitted with electrodes on the top to shock anyone touched with it, and external booby traps, including one factory gate which had been wired directly to the mains electricity supply.

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Steve Addison)