LONDON – The normal turmoil in the London financial district has been silenced by the latest national exclusion, with businesses closed and work being moved home.
But the sudden silence and the unexpected evacuation of real estate made at least one business (albeit an illegal one) thrive: an indoor weed farm.
It ended last week when police officers discovered the criminal operation, which they called a ‘cannabis factory’, in a basement with wired lighting and ventilation tubes in a commercial building not far from the Bank of England.
In response to reports of a strong odor, officers discovered 826 marijuana plants – according to City of London police, the first factory ever found in the financial district. It is “undoubtedly set in response to fewer people wandering around during the pandemic and possibly noticing unusual activities,” said Andy Spooner, acting detective leading the investigation, in a statement released Wednesday.
The city of London, as the financial district is called, became empty when the British government tried to alleviate an increase in cases of coronavirus and instructed employees to work from home to limit the transfer. The area is usually crowded, especially on weekdays. The London Stock Exchange and the headquarters of major financial groups, as well as the Bank of England, are all close together in the area, also known as the Square Mile.
A City of London spokesman said police who police the district usually deal with economic crimes such as fraud. A drug bust was unusual, she noted.
Police said two people were arrested in the ongoing investigation.
It is illegal to grow, sell or use marijuana in Britain for recreational purposes. The supply or possession of the drug can result in up to 14 years in prison, a fine or both.
Pro-cannabis groups and some patients are campaigning for the recognition of the drug’s medicinal properties, and since 2018, doctors may issue legal prescriptions for marijuana. The use of cannabis-based medicines was approved in 2019 by the National Health Service in England and Wales.