A rural raid at Leigh Tenement Farm in Blackrod, Bolton recovered about two tonnes of cannabis with an estimated street value of £24 million, described by police as a record-breaking discovery.

The seizure is framed within a rising trend of cannabis seizures at UK airports tied to Thai smuggling networks, with Heathrow and other hubs showing increased activity.

Overall, 2024 saw substantial cannabis imports to the UK, including more than 15 tonnes detected by Border Force, and ongoing National Crime Agency investigations into large-scale Thai-smuggling operations.

Police published images showing stacks of cannabis bricks in rooms, nearly reaching the ceiling, to illustrate the scale of the operation.

GMP called the haul one of Britain’s largest single cannabis seizures and said it disrupted extensive criminal networks.

Detective Superintendent Joe Harrop said the seizure disrupts criminal networks, removes a major source of harm, and reinforces community safety, signaling continued determination to pursue those responsible.

Greater Manchester Police describe the operation as large-scale and sophisticated, with evidence pointing to organized crime using remote countryside sites to grow cannabis on an industrial scale for distribution across the UK.

Earlier cases linked to such activity include an November 2024 charges against 11 people tied to a bid to smuggle more than 510 kilos of cannabis into the UK from Thailand via Paris, connected to Birmingham Airport.

The case sits among broader international cannabis crime, including a British teen jailed in Qatar over cannabis trafficking, highlighting cross-border dimensions.

Two men, aged 27 and 35, were arrested at the scene on drug offences and remain in custody for questioning.

Polish authorities also seized two tonnes of cannabis with an estimated street value of £24 million from a remote farm, with two men aged 27 and 35 arrested at the scene.

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to probe the operation and identify further suspects.