PSNI say Chinese and Western Balkan organised crime gang behind sophisticated Ballymena cannabis farm
The PSNI says Chinese and Western Balkan organised criminals were behind a sophisticated cannabis farm in Ballymena.
Two men have been sentenced following the discovery of the farm in 2023.
At Antrim Crown Court yesterday, 47-year-old Lin Wang was sentenced to 24 months for cultivating cannabis and possession of Class B drugs with intent to supply.
Co-accused 60-year-old Robert McMitchell, from Newtownabbey, was handed 200 hours community service, after previously pleading guilty to permitting production of Class B controlled drugs on a premises and possessing criminal property.
Detective Inspector Kelly from the PSNI Organised Crime Unit said the case arose after searches of premises in Broughshane Street, Ballymena in 2023.
“A large and sophisticated cannabis cultivation operation was discovered which required specialist PSNI resources to dismantle. The premises had no electrical supply and a feed had been obtained by digging up a stretch of ground and taking it from the mains supply on the road outside.”
There were over 300 plants in four rooms.
Lin Wang was arrested in an adjoining premises and was believed to be maintaining the plants.
Officers searched two more premises in Ballymena and believed one contained a partly dismantled grow while the other was used to store equipment.
Police located a large amount of sterling and euros in subsequent searches.
Detective Inspector Kelly continued: “This was clearly a well organised operation, which bore all the hallmarks of organised criminal gang involvement. Those involved were clearly motivated by greed. We believe Chinese and Western Balkan individuals were involved in the running of this operation.”
The operation was capable of making hundreds of thousands of pounds over a number of harvests.