Officers from the Dedicated Crime Team have arrested six people following a midnight raid on RGHQ Chilmark – an underground nuclear bunker constructed in the 80s to house and protect government officials and local dignitaries in the event of a nuclear attack.
Although the site is no longer owned by the Ministry of Defence, the bunker is still intact and the nuclear blast doors are still in place.
Officers attended the site late last night (22 February 2017) after gathering intelligence.
With the knowledge that the bunker was almost completely impenetrable, officers waited outside for three people to leave and detained them, using their keys to gain entry.
Once inside, officers found three people, believed to be operating as gardeners, along with several thousand cannabis plants at various stages of growth.
The three males found inside the bunker, aged 15, 19, and 37, all of no fixed abode, were arrested on suspicion of cannabis production and taken to Melksham custody.
The three males detained outside of the bunker, aged 27, 30 and 45, all from Somerset, were arrested on suspicion of cannabis production and human trafficking offences.
Detective Inspector Paul Franklin, of the Dedicated Crime Team, said: “There are approximately 20 rooms in the building, split over two floors, each 200ft long and 70 ft wide. Almost every single room had been converted for the wholesale production of cannabis plants, and there was a large amount of evidence of previous crops. This was an enormous set up.
“At this early stage of the investigation it is almost impossible to work out how many plants are inside, but we are talking thousands rather than hundreds and we would estimate the value of the crop at over £1 million. I am convinced it is one of the largest crops ever discovered in Wiltshire.
“The actions of officers last night took a large amount of planning and teamwork, and I am very pleased that it has been so successful. This is the largest and most sophisticated cannabis factory I’ve ever experienced and I am delighted that we have been able to take such a large amount of illicit drugs off the streets of Wiltshire before they are able to reach vulnerable people within our communities.”
If you suspect drug activity in your area, please report it to 101.
