Dramatic footage shows moment police raid £500k cannabis factory with over 650 plants in old high street bank

A huge £500,000 cannabis factory has been discovered in an old high street bank - after shoppers complained about the smell.

Footage shows most of the floor space taken up by the plants at the former Royal Bank of Scotland in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. CCTV screens used by the growers to keep watch on police or rivals can also be seen in a makeshift bedroom set up in a banker’s former office.

West Mercia Police seized more than 650 plants and sophisticated hydroponic cultivation equipment in a raid on November 25. Police used a battering ram on a door, and around 15 officers stormed the building in the dramatic operation. They believe the plot could have generated around £500,000 each year.

West Mercia Police became suspicious when shoppers smelled cannabis coming from the derelict RBS branch, in Worcester Street, which closed in August 2018. Thermal imaging also revealed heat sources coming from the building despite it lying empty.

Artur Pasha, 32 and Artilez Kafexhiu, 33, both of no fixed abode, are charged with producing a controlled class B drug. They have been remanded and will appear at Worcester Crown Court on December 23.