Officers seize thousands of plants in £2m Tameside drugs bust

A cannabis farm worth more than £2 million has been seized by officers in Tameside after an intelligence-led early-morning raid in Droylsden.

Officers from Tameside’s Neighbourhood Policing Team executed a warrant on Ash Road at around 7am on Monday 1 December 2025, following weeks of intelligence gathering and thermal imaging from a police drone. Inside, they uncovered a sophisticated cannabis cultivation site housing thousands of plants, with a subsequent inspection revealing that the electricity supply had been illegally bypassed to power the operation.

Six people, men and women aged between 21 and 44, were arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis. They all remain in police custody for questioning.

Chief Inspector Tim Rudd of Tameside District praised the work of officers and the community intelligence that made the warrant possible.

“This operation demonstrates our commitment to tackling organised crime and removing harmful drugs from our communities. The scale and sophistication of this cannabis farm highlight the lengths criminals will go to in order to profit from illegal activity.

“Thanks to intelligence-led policing and the use of specialist resources, including drone technology, we’ve successfully disrupted their activities and prevented millions of pounds worth of drugs from reaching our streets.

“We will continue to act on information, work with our partners, and take decisive action to keep Tameside safe and protect the public.”

Police are urging residents to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious activity. Indicators a property may be used for growing cannabis include a strong, distinctive sweet or sickly smell, frequent visitors at all hours, blacked-out windows or curtains permanently closed, bright lights at unusual times of night, birds gathering on the roof in cold weather, loud hums from ventilation fans, large amounts of rubbish such as soil, plant pots or compost bags and evidence of tampered electricity meters

While these signs may appear harmless on their own, police say that several occurring together may indicate criminal activity.

Information from the public remains vital in helping officers identify and shut down illegal operations.

If you suspect drug activity in your area, you can report it anonymously. If a crime is in progress: Dial 999 immediately. For non-emergencies: Visit www.gmp.police.uk and use the Live Chat function to submit information.

Credit: Greater Manchester Police