Organized crime groups are increasingly targeting vacant shops and pubs in UK town centers to cultivate cannabis on an industrial scale, according to senior police officials. Over the past year, law enforcement has raided numerous properties, ranging from an old toy shop in Ayr, Scotland, to a former bank in Welshpool, Powys, revealing the extent of this growing trend.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) reports that criminals are converting empty commercial properties, including restaurants, cafes, nightclubs, bingo halls, and office buildings, into large-scale cannabis farms. In Newport, South Wales, one of the most significant operations uncovered involved a former department store on the main shopping street, where more than 3,000 cannabis plants were being cultivated across several floors.
Chief Constable Richard Lewis, the NPCC’s national lead on drugs, attributes this surge in illegal cannabis production to the decline of many high streets in recent years, which has provided new opportunities for criminal enterprises. “Commercial properties are attractive to organized crime groups for a whole host of reasons,” he explained. “Large-scale shops have closed down, and therefore the footprint to produce cannabis on a larger scale becomes available.”
The lack of evening foot traffic in these areas allows cannabis farms to go undetected. “You don’t see large numbers of people in the evening anymore… neighbors in residential properties would notice things more readily,” Lewis added.
Last year, police intensified their efforts to combat this issue, issuing nearly 1,000 warrants and making almost 1,000 arrests in operations targeting cannabis farms. Gwent Police, in particular, has successfully raided several cannabis farms in Newport city center, with the former Wildings department store—closed since 2019—serving as one of the most significant sites.
Sgt. Dan Wise, who has been involved in these operations, noted the shift in criminal strategy: “Let’s be brutally honest, we’re talking organized crime groups here and the ability to operate on a much bigger scale and level.” Newport, which had one of the UK’s highest vacancy rates following the Covid pandemic, has become a focal point for such illegal activities.
To combat this growing problem, Newport City Council and the police have collaborated to create a database of vulnerable buildings that could be exploited by gangs. The NPCC emphasizes that their efforts go beyond just targeting those who grow cannabis—they are also prosecuting landlords who turn a blind eye, as well as estate agents, electricians, and other facilitators involved in the trade.
Police have also uncovered links between large-scale cannabis production and other serious offenses, including human trafficking and violent crime. Chief Constable Lewis urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity. Tell-tale signs of cannabis farms include windows being taped up, bright lights in the early hours, and tents outside buildings. “The properties are too hot for people to be there throughout the night,” Lewis warned.
As law enforcement continues to crack down on this illegal trade, the public’s cooperation and awareness remain crucial in curbing the exploitation of the UK’s empty high streets by organized crime groups.