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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Eight arrests after £350K cannabis find | Eight arrests after £350K cannabis find |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Eight people have been arrested following the discovery of a cannabis factory in County Down. | Eight people have been arrested following the discovery of a cannabis factory in County Down. |
| Police said they have disrupted a major organised crime gang after they seized an estimated £350,000 of drugs in a raid near Castlewellan on Tuesday. | Police said they have disrupted a major organised crime gang after they seized an estimated £350,000 of drugs in a raid near Castlewellan on Tuesday. |
| Seven vehicles worth more than £100,000, including two BMWs and a Mercedes were also seized by detectives. | Seven vehicles worth more than £100,000, including two BMWs and a Mercedes were also seized by detectives. |
| Five of those arrested are still being questioned. | Five of those arrested are still being questioned. |
| Police said it was a sophisticated cannabis factory that involved the re-routing of electricity cables. | Police said it was a sophisticated cannabis factory that involved the re-routing of electricity cables. |
| Eleven premises were searched across County Down, County Antrim and the greater Belfast areas. | |
| A sum of money was also recovered. | |
| Det Ch Supt Roy McComb, head of PSNI's organised crime branch, said: "We are delighted with the seizure of these drugs and the number of arrests which have been made. | |
| "We believe we have dismantled an organised crime group and greatly reduced the threat posed by drugs to communities in Northern Ireland and by the dangers posed by cannabis cultivation. | |
| He said police had been "working closely" with colleagues in the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) for a considerable length of time. | |
| "The commitment and skills of SOCA has greatly assisted the work of the PSNI in this and other investigations. | |
| "In addition, along with our partner agencies we will be looking at the possibility of seizing assets." |