Cannabis factory uncovered in Paisley's West End

Apr 10 2009 By Bryan Brough

COPS in riot gear yesterday uncovered a huge cannabis factory in the heart of Paisley’s West End.

Around 2,000 cannabis plants, with a street value in the region of £750,000, were found during the dramatic raid.

It is believed tha officers had used a ‘heat gun’ – similar to a thermal imaging camera – to scan the building.

This equipment allows the police to detect heat from special lamps which are used to help grow plants inside a building.

As they swooped on the illegal factory near Wellmeadow Street, cops used a hand-held battering ram to break through the main door.

Once inside, a number of men were handcuffed and taken to the police headquarters in Mill Street, Paisley, for questioning.

One police source told the Paisley Daily Express that yesterday’s raid produced one of the biggest cannabis hauls ever seized in the town.

It is thought that some of the drugs recovered are the potentially lethal ‘skunk’ form of cannabis, which is more powerful than the normal crop.

The cannabis plants seized were at different stages of growth.

The daytime drama took place at around 10am and shoppers were shocked to see a large number of cops – all dressed in riot gear, including hard hats with visors, shields and blue boiler-type suits – getting out of vans.

A squad of officers then rushed to an area that lies between a hair salon and a betting shop.

One woman said: "It looked like the police were everywhere. I’ve never seen so many cops all working on the same operation before.

"I stood in a shop doorway and watched what was going on."

She added: "Some of the cops disappeared round the back of some shops.and I could hear a lot of banging noises."

Last night, a 26-year-old Chinese man was charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

A further three men were being quizzed by police.