ONE of Hull's biggest cannabis factories has been discovered inside an empty showroom in Beverley Road.
Almost 1,700 cannabis plants, with a street value of £1.5m, were found in the former Hardaker's fireplace showroom.
The factory was "sniffed out" by the same PCSO who discovered the city's biggest cannabis factory in a council-owned building in Northumberland Avenue, which had more than 2,000 plants with an estimated street value of £2m.
PCSO Pat Cook's sense of smell led to both factories being raided by police.
He said: "I was really surprised. I didn't expect it to be as big as the other one.
"This was almost equal in size to the one in Northumberland Avenue. It was absolutely massive."
PCSO Cook and his colleague, PCSO Jon Hammerton, had noticed a strong smell of cannabis from the area several times while on patrol.
"It was getting stronger all the time, which is why we thought it must be being grown somewhere," said PCSO Hammerton.
After both filed intelligence reports, the building was raided by officers from the Riverside neighbourhood policing team and the community reassurance team on Saturday.
Sergeant Jim Clough, of the neighbourhood team, said: "This was a professional industrial operation and is a really good result to have found it. It is one of the biggest cannabis factories we have found in the city, and it was found by the same PCSO, which shows the value of having them out there.
"This has got a large number of drugs off the streets. The money made from operations such as this may be used to support more criminality. Drug users may also possibly fund their habit through acquisitive crime.
"This is the third large factory that has been found in Hull in the past couple of years, which ultimately means about £5m of cannabis has been taken off the streets of the city."
PCSO Cook said that as well as he and PCSO Hammerton smelling the cannabis, a member of the public had also stopped them while on patrol to complain about the smell.
Sgt Clough said: "We want anyone who has any idea or suspicion that there is any cannabis growing going on in their area to get in touch with us, which can be done anonymously."
He said people should look out for the smell of cannabis, windows that have been covered, secured doors and suspicious activity.
Two men have been charged with producing a controlled drug.
Than Von Nguyen, 44, and Thu Nguyen, 46, appeared at Hull Magistrates' Court yesterday. Both were remanded in custody and will appear at Hull Crown Court next month.
Call Humberside Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
More than £2m plants found in biggest raidTHREE men were jailed after the biggest cannabis factory ever found in Hull was discovered in a council-owned building.
More than £2m of plants were found in the factory in Northumberland Avenue in December 2011.
Toan Vo, 34, Vuong Vu, 30, and Dat Truong, 22, were each jailed for two-and-a-half years in connection with the operation.
More than 2,000 plants were found inside the building.
Hull Crown Court heard how the men had been promised £1,000 a month to look after the factory, but had never received any money.
Earlier this year, police discovered £860,000 of cannabis inside a converted factory unit on the Sutton Fields industrial estate in east Hull.
The cannabis factory was being operated by a group of Vietnamese workers, who had been coerced into running and living in the factory by gangmasters.
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