A major drugs bust in Tameside could be linked to an organised crime group involved in 'large-scale' drug and people trafficking across the country.
Following tip-offs from the community and intelligence received by police, officers arrested four men and seized more than 700 cannabis plants in a specialist operation on Tuesday morning (March 30).
Detectives from Greater Manchester Police's Tameside Challenger team, which works to tackle organised crime across the borough, teamed up with armed officers for the operation in Droylsden.
They discovered cannabis plants with a street value of more than half a million pounds being stored in an abandoned building on farm land off Sunnyside Lane.
GMP carried out the bust as part of an operation into the supply of drugs from Tameside - and detectives believe the site is linked to a group carrying out large-scale drug and people trafficking across the United Kingdom.
Four men were arrested at the scene on suspicion of the production of cannabis and they remain in police custody for questioning.
Superintendent Paul Walker, of GMP's Tameside district, said: "This operation was all about making a significant dent in the supply of controlled drugs, not just in Tameside and Greater Manchester, but across the UK.
"We know there have been community concerns about this particular location and it was important that we took the action we did this morning to disrupt the activity that we believe to have been taking place at this site.
"The intelligence received about the serious criminality those believed to occupying the site were capable of required us to act swiftly and efficiently to negate any threat to ourselves and importantly the wider public.
"While we have four men in custody, our officers in the Challenger team continue with their work with this investigation and to continue to tackle organised crime and drug offences in Tameside."
Enquiries are ongoing and officers are encouraging anyone with concerns or information about drug supply and criminal exploitation to contact police in confidence.
Details can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
