A POLICE drugs raid discovered a Barnt Green house being used as a cannabis factory.

The detached house was raided last Thursday (June 15) as part of a 12-month operation which hit 15 addresses in all, including properties in Redditch, as well as one in Gloucestershire.

As part of the operation, codenamed Gemini, 12 people were arrested.

Cannabis with a street value of £500,000-£750,000 was seized, and detectives are also investigating money laundering in relation to houses, high value cars and electrical equipment worth £1 million.

Detective Superintendent Steve Pepper, who led the operation, said the large detached house in Barnt Green was an "absolutely vast" drugs factory.

"The neighbours certainly will be shocked, it's not the place you would expect illegal drugs to be," he said.

"The people who live there no doubt were totally unaware that in their midst they had not only a cannabis factory but a whole house dedicated to the large-scale production of drugs."

He said the house had used a sophisticated hydroponic system with a special plumbing and heating system, and two men had been living in an adjacent bungalow, with the sole role of maintaining the drugs.

"Cannabis with a street value of £500,000 was being grown in the house when we went there this morning - it really is large-scale industrialised production of drugs," he added.

Det Supt Pepper said the investigation had identified a prominent drug dealer and his network which operated across north Worcestershire and it was also possible the gang was supplying as far afield as Birmingham and Bristol.

He said a team of financial investigators had also identified almost £1million of assets that the drug dealing had accrued.

"These are people who live an affluent lifestyle and have no paid employment, they own high value vehicles, properties and range of high value expensive electrical items and jewellery," he added.

But he said new laws would give police powers to seize the assets, sending out the message to drug dealers that they did not only stand to lose their freedom, but also the money gained from dealing drugs.

On Tuesday police said all 12 had been released on police bail.