The unsolved case of the £250k cannabis farm discovered on ‘Millionaires’ Row’ near Bristol

Police officers pose behind bags of cannabis discovered in Cadbury Camp Lane near Bristol

The smiles in the photograph say it all.

A huge stash of cannabis plants worth around £250,000 seized on a country road known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’ near Bristol by the local neighbourhood police team.

More than 200 mature plants were discovered across two floors of a property in Cadbury Camp Lane, in Clapton-in-Gordano, which is well-known for its £1million-plus homes.

Officers, alerted to the strong smell of the drug, carried out the raid before lining up sealed bags full of the plants for the picture circulated by Avon and Somerset Police on social media.

However, more than three years after the seizure in March 2019, the force has been unable to solve the case.

It highlights the difficulty faced by detectives when investigating cannabis factories, which police say are often located in properties let out by unsuspecting landlords to organised criminal gangs.

Entrance to the private Cadbury Camp Lane in Clapton-in-Gordano

Responding to a Freedom of Information Request from BristolWorld, Avon and Somerset Police confirmed no arrests had been made in relation to the cannabis find in Cadbury Camp Lane on March 19, 2019.

It said no further action had been taken in the case due to ‘insufficient evidence against a named suspect’.

Asked how much money was spent investigating the find, the force said because the response was ‘business as usual’ and had not led to a specific investigation, it did not have a record of costs.

Across last year, Avon and Somerset Police discovered 135 cannabis farms containing a total of 14,500 plants - the highest number since 2104.

And up to August this year, the force had uncovered 73 ‘grows’ with 10,154 plants.

But finding those responsible, just like in the Cadbury Camp Lane case, can be a challenge for officers, said Detective Inspector Angela Burtonwood.

The cannabis discovered at a property in Cadbury Camp Lane in March 2019

She said farms were often linked to modern slavery with those found working on them victims of human trafficking and working against their will.

She added: “Farms are often located in premises that have been let out by unsuspecting landlords to organised criminal gangs.

“To avoid detection, offenders may bypass the electric meter and reconnect to the power grid to obtain energy illegally.

“For these reasons, identifying the true offenders involved in cannabis cultivation can be a complex task.”

DI Burtonwood said the force continued to depend on the public to alert them to drug-related activity in communities.

She added: “Every piece of intelligence we receive is acted upon and may be the missing puzzle piece that helps us to trace and prosecute those responsible and safeguard victims of modern slavery.”

To report cannabis being grown in an area, call 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. The modern slavery helpline is 08000 121 700