A sizable cannabis forest was seized by authorities in southwest London late last week after receiving a tip.
"The area these plants were growing on was the size of a football pitch [soccer field], it looked like a small forest of Christmas trees and was complete with a gazebo," said PC Sarah Henderson, of Kingston borough,
according to Sky News.
"Whoever set this up used a really remote spot. The only way to get there was a 20-minute walk through wasteland. But all their time, trouble and gardening skills will go unrewarded, as the whole lot will now be destroyed by police."
Police said that the crop, located near Lower Marsh Lane, contained over 150 marijuana plants in total, and that some of them measured over 5 feet tall.
No arrests have been made in connection with the illegal farm, but police have asked anyone with information on the operation to come forward.
"I am very surprised. We are very much tucked away in the suburbs," local man Matt Leary, 30, who works for Gerald Culliford Ltd.,
told The Daily Mail about the bust.
"My boss hadn't heard about it either. It is a bit of a concern. Our customers haven't mentioned it. It's very shocking and I haven't been aware of other serious crime in the area. Who knows where it came from. It could be linked to gang problems and that's why it is a concern."
In the UK, marijuana was previously a Class C offense, but was reclassified in 2009 to a Class B. Those convicted of supplying and producing cannabis can face up to 14 years in prison.
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