£52m drugs farm gang faces jail

A gang is facing jail for producing “industrial quantities” of cannabis with a street value of more than £50million a year in what is believed to be the biggest conspiracy to grow the drug uncovered in the UK.

The gang farmed drugs at locations in Kent and Norfolk between 2013 and 2015, the Old Bailey heard at the start of a sentencing hearing for 14 members of the gang.

A total of 16,428 cannabis plants were seized from all sites, which the prosecution said gave an estimated street value for a single year of between £25,418,160 to £51,852,840.