Today's most viewed
|
|
|
|
FOOD ON FRIDAY |
 | |
|
FRINGE COMPETITION |
|
| |
|
DOWNLOAD OF THE WEEK |
|
| |
| | WHAT'S ON | | | | |
| | GOING GREEN | | |
| | LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | | | | |
| | COMMENT AND ANALYSIS | | | | |
|
|
|
Underground labyrinth of drugs found
Firefighters stumbled across a sophisticated underground cannabis factory thought to have produced harvests worth hundreds of thousands of pounds over a number of years.
The officers were dealing with a caravan fire at a farm when they uncovered the labyrinth of eight shipping containers where more than 300 mature plants were growing.
Sgt John Wallace, of Haywards Heath police station, said: "It's the largest find that I have worked on. Potentially, this will make some sort of impact on the amount of drugs available on the street."
Detectives were last night trying to trace a highly organised gang after the discovery at the 53-acre Leigh Water Mill Farm in Ansty, near Burgess Hill.
The burning caravan was less than 10m away from a shipping container perched on top of a further eight buried underground.
Firefighters used water to cool gas cannisters that had become heated by the fire.
A generator and power cables feeding into the containers were nearby. Fearing the generator would be at risk of the water, they investigated the container and discovered the factory.
Neighbours said there had not been any excavations in recent years but there was a lot of activity on the site 20 years ago.
They said people often came and went and night but thought that was because one of the occupants was a lorry driver.
One neighbour told The Argus: "I can't believe it. I knew something must have happened because the police put a big blue tent. We guessed it wasn't just arson."
Forensics teams are expected to remain at the scene well into the weekend. Safety concerns forced the police to cut the power supply and they are working in dark and damp conditions.
Sgt Wallace said the site had been used for several years. He told The Argus: "It's clearly historically been functioning to produce a significant amount of drugs. It appears to have been used some period, possibly a number of years.
"It's a relatively large scale factory for the production of drugs. The fact it's buried underground shows someone has gone to great lengths to conceal it. That to me is quite unusual and quite ingenious."
The land was bought in 1986 by widow Doreen Ellett, 83, who was unavailable for comment. Police believe she may have rented the land out.
Mrs Ellett's white Mercedes was wrecked in the fierce night-time blaze at her home in February.
No arrests have been made following the cannabis factory discovery and there is no suggestion that Mrs Ellett has broken any law. But police are looking to speak to anyone who has seen any unusual activity nearby.
Sgt Wallace said: "The site appears to have been deliberately generated for this purpose and the undertaking of such an operation would have been significant in terms of the moving of cargo containers and submerging them under earth along with arranging a strong generator power supply for heat and energy.
"This is clearly the undertaking of more than one person. I am keen to speak to any neighbours or regular road users who may have seen unusual activities in the area or significant excavation work. I would also like to hear from professional contractors who may have been involved with supplying materials to the area without knowledge of the real purpose."
Anyone with information should call Mid Sussex CID 0845 6070 999 or Crimestoppers anonymously, quoting Operation Gortin.
7:05pm Friday 28th March 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: Dave, At home on 7:45pm Fri 28 Mar 08
The burning caravan was less than 10m away from a shipping container perched on top of a further eight buried underground.
hmmmm.... that means the bottom one was over 60 feet below ground if they were stacked one on top of the other, as the story suggests. What a load of twaddle. I wish the Argus would report 'facts' accurately or is this story lifted from another publication even though the story is on their own doorstep?
The burning caravan was less than 10m away from a shipping container perched on top of a further eight buried underground.
hmmmm.... that means the bottom one was over 60 feet below ground if they were stacked one on top of the other, as the story suggests. What a load of twaddle. I wish the Argus would report 'facts' accurately or is this story lifted from another publication even though the story is on their own doorstep?
Posted by: Rhinofish, Hove on 10:54pm Fri 28 Mar 08
Dave, what gives you the idea they were stacked on top of each other? That doesn't make much sense. They were probably side by side with the container above ground being the entrance to the complex.
Years ago Howard Marx did a tour after his book was published. When asked by a member of the audience the best way to grow skunk without getting caught he recommended shipping containers buried underground. That was 10 years ago. This is the first time that I've heard of one being found.
Very interesting story, can't fault the reporting myself.
Dave, what gives you the idea they were stacked on top of each other? That doesn't make much sense. They were probably side by side with the container above ground being the entrance to the complex.
Years ago Howard Marx did a tour after his book was published. When asked by a member of the audience the best way to grow skunk without getting caught he recommended shipping containers buried underground. That was 10 years ago. This is the first time that I've heard of one being found.
Very interesting story, can't fault the reporting myself.
Posted by: Terry Walpole, Queens Park on 12:55am Sat 29 Mar 08
Now that the firemen have helped the police find a major drugs factory perhaps they could now turn their attention to helping them find the pier arsonists.
I think that the police must be the only people in Brighton who don't know.
Now that the firemen have helped the police find a major drugs factory perhaps they could now turn their attention to helping them find the pier arsonists.
I think that the police must be the only people in Brighton who don't know.
Posted by: dc, sussex on 7:20am Sat 29 Mar 08
no-one been caught yet!! good, i hope they get away with it, not that much harm has been done by these home growers who have supplied so much fun in the last 20 or so years!! they are little tinkers yes, but they didnt stab someone over a fag or murder a pensioner for her handbag did they?? please concentrate on efforts to reign in our wayward feral youths of today.
no-one been caught yet!! good, i hope they get away with it, not that much harm has been done by these home growers who have supplied so much fun in the last 20 or so years!! they are little tinkers yes, but they didnt stab someone over a fag or murder a pensioner for her handbag did they?? please concentrate on efforts to reign in our wayward feral youths of today.
Posted by: Eddie on 8:52am Sat 29 Mar 08
Anyone got a spade. I'll be digging for England.
Anyone got a spade. I'll be digging for England.
Posted by: Eddie on 9:00am Sat 29 Mar 08
Ma..Ma! Where'd I put that shipping container!
Ma..Ma! Where'd I put that shipping container!
Posted by: Drug free on 9:11am Sat 29 Mar 08
Just one more instance of the drug dealers getting rich and the public paying the inevitable cost of treating the mental illness of the users, HANG ALL PUSHERS AND DEALERS, ITS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THEM MURDERING OUR YOUNGSTERS.
Just one more instance of the drug dealers getting rich and the public paying the inevitable cost of treating the mental illness of the users, HANG ALL PUSHERS AND DEALERS, ITS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THEM MURDERING OUR YOUNGSTERS.
Posted by: Hunter on 9:16am Sat 29 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Drug free[/bold] wrote:
Just one more instance of the drug dealers getting rich and the public paying the inevitable cost of treating the mental illness of the users, HANG ALL PUSHERS AND DEALERS, ITS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THEM MURDERING OUR YOUNGSTERS. [/quote] My oh my!
Drug free wrote:
Just one more instance of the drug dealers getting rich and the public paying the inevitable cost of treating the mental illness of the users, HANG ALL PUSHERS AND DEALERS, ITS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THEM MURDERING OUR YOUNGSTERS.
My oh my!
Posted by: Ted, Home on 9:41am Sat 29 Mar 08
Maybe the should bury the people who did this for 20 years in their containers... feed them just water nutrients and bright lights and see what they grow into!!!
A crop of weeds!!
Maybe the should bury the people who did this for 20 years in their containers... feed them just water nutrients and bright lights and see what they grow into!!!
A crop of weeds!!
Posted by: drugfreebeer, in the pub on 10:17am Sat 29 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Drug free[/bold] wrote:
Just one more instance of the drug dealers getting rich and the public paying the inevitable cost of treating the mental illness of the users, HANG ALL PUSHERS AND DEALERS, ITS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THEM MURDERING OUR YOUNGSTERS. [/quote] Why don't you have a little drink and calm down. It sounds like those painkillers have made you a bit bonkers
Drug free wrote:
Just one more instance of the drug dealers getting rich and the public paying the inevitable cost of treating the mental illness of the users, HANG ALL PUSHERS AND DEALERS, ITS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THEM MURDERING OUR YOUNGSTERS.
Why don't you have a little drink and calm down. It sounds like those painkillers have made you a bit bonkers
Posted by: paul, brighton on 10:38am Sat 29 Mar 08
The reporting is a bit naff, the white Mercedes para is dropped in from nowhere.
If this was the same fire then the story is a month old, and she lives on the site really near the caravan and containers that seem to have been burried when she was a sprightly 63 years old and had just purchased the site...
The reporting is a bit naff, the white Mercedes para is dropped in from nowhere.
If this was the same fire then the story is a month old, and she lives on the site really near the caravan and containers that seem to have been burried when she was a sprightly 63 years old and had just purchased the site...
Posted by: The grim reefer, Bolney on 10:23am Sun 30 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Dave[/bold] wrote:
The burning caravan was less than 10m away from a shipping container perched on top of a further eight buried underground. hmmmm.... that means the bottom one was over 60 feet below ground if they were stacked one on top of the other, as the story suggests. What a load of twaddle. I wish the Argus would report 'facts' accurately or is this story lifted from another publication even though the story is on their own doorstep?[/quote] Where do you get the idea the story suggests the containers are on top of eachother - it does not say that at all. Do you think they climbed down to the bottom one through all the others ? Or does the story suggest there is a sevice lift too. Cretin.
Dave wrote:
The burning caravan was less than 10m away from a shipping container perched on top of a further eight buried underground. hmmmm.... that means the bottom one was over 60 feet below ground if they were stacked one on top of the other, as the story suggests. What a load of twaddle. I wish the Argus would report 'facts' accurately or is this story lifted from another publication even though the story is on their own doorstep?
Where do you get the idea the story suggests the containers are on top of eachother - it does not say that at all. Do you think they climbed down to the bottom one through all the others ? Or does the story suggest there is a sevice lift too. Cretin.
Posted by: thehen, kent on 1:47pm Sun 30 Mar 08
Er I think the containers were laid out side by side, I domn't think this was an attempt to reach the centre of the earth..........
Er I think the containers were laid out side by side, I domn't think this was an attempt to reach the centre of the earth..........
Posted by: citizen k, shusseshx on 1:37pm Mon 31 Mar 08
'HANG ALL PUSHERS AND DEALERS, ITS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THEM MURDERING OUR YOUNGSTERS.' yet another fine display of plainthinking local idiocy. perhaps we could cobble all drivers too, ban disease and shoot the priests. well done the great brighton public.
'HANG ALL PUSHERS AND DEALERS, ITS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THEM MURDERING OUR YOUNGSTERS.' yet another fine display of plainthinking local idiocy. perhaps we could cobble all drivers too, ban disease and shoot the priests. well done the great brighton public.
Posted by: Fed up, Skin up on 6:33pm Mon 31 Mar 08
Bugger! Another drought on the way.
Bugger! Another drought on the way.
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
