GARDAÍ IN Cork believe a cannabis factory found in the city had the capacity to produce up to €2 million worth of the drug per annum.
According to Supt Con Cadogan of Gurranebraher Garda station, who is heading up the investigation, the factory in a warehouse in the Hollyhill Industrial Estate on Cork’s northside was a highly sophisticated operation.
“We’ve had two forensic scientists down from Dublin and they tell us it is the biggest such cannabis producing factory that they’ve ever come across,” said Supt Cadogan, adding that gardaí believe that the operation could produce up to four crops of cannabis grass per year.
Supt Cadogan said that the cannabis plants were being grown hydroponically with nutrients being supplied to the plants through a sophisticated temperature-controlled water-based growing system.
The factory also involved an elaborate motorised lighting system with lights moving around on rails to ensure constant light for each plant, while a system of fans meant warm air was circulated throughout the 3,000 square foot warehouse to ensure plants did not die.
Gardaí also found weighing scales, driers and wrapping machines to pack the cannabis grass for sale or distribution, said Supt Cadogan, who added that gardaí in Cork had noticed an increase in the amount of cannabis grass for sale in the city in the past few months.
Supt Cadogan said that gardaí had found some 1,200 plants at four stages of growth in the factory and they believed that the gang behind the operation were growing plants in an eight- to 12-week cycle, giving them at least four crops over a 12-month period.
According to Supt Cadogan, the cannabis plants had an estimated street value of €400,000, while the equipment was worth another €100,000. Gardaí estimate that over a 12-month period, the factory could produce €2 million worth of the drug.
Supt Cadogan explained that the leaves were harvested off the plant when it reached maturity at about 2m in height and the plant would continue to be nourished through the hydroponic system until it again produced another crop of leaves for harvesting.
Gardaí were yesterday checking when and by whom the warehouse was leased, but one Garda source indicated the gang behind the operation could have been growing cannabis at the factory for 12 months or longer.
The factory was discovered after gardaí stopped and searched a car on Blarney Road at about 8.20pm on Sunday. They found a small quantity of cannabis grass and arrested the driver, a man in his 20s from Togher, and brought him to Gurranebraher Garda station for questioning.
Gardaí had to wait for the ESB to come and confirm the plant was safe to enter yesterday because of the large quantity of electrical equipment and cabling, but Garda technical experts yesterday began a forensic examination of the building and its contents.
They believe an Irish gang is behind the operation and detectives yesterday carried out a number of follow-up searches of houses in Togher and Tower where they found a quantity of cash, believed to be about €50,000.