Two men have been jailed after police uncovered a cannabis factory containing more than 1,700 plants inside a former BHS store in Slough, with the crop estimated to have a potential street value of nearly £1.3 million.According to details released by Thames Valley Police, Ajet Begu, 40, from Palmers Green in north London, and 27-year-old Aryan Turya, of no fixed abode, were discovered inside the disused High Street premises when officers forced entry on January 28 after identifying the building as a suspected cannabis factory.The plants were found across two floors of the former department store, with police describing the scale of the operation as an “incredible sight”.
Police discover 1,700 cannabis plants inside abandoned BHS store
More than 1,700 cannabis plants found across two floors of abandoned shop. (Photo: Thames Valley Police)
Officers from the Chalvey, Upton and Slough Town Neighbourhood Policing Team entered the former BHS shop at around 1.30pm on January 28.Inside, they found more than 1,700 cannabis plants at various stages of maturity, along with Begu and Turya, who were arrested at the scene.A drug expert witness later estimated that the plants had a potential yield of 150.27kg. The crop was valued at approximately £1,288,020 at street level, while its estimated wholesale value was £525,000.The discovery followed work by the Berkshire East Neighbourhood Policing Team, which identified that the apparently disused premises was being used for large-scale cannabis production.
Former BHS store had been closed since 2016
The cannabis factory was operating inside a former BHS shop on Slough’s High Street.BHS, once one of Britain’s best-known department store chains, closed its Slough outlet in 2016 after the wider company collapsed into administration. The retailer had been struggling with mounting debts, declining sales and increasing competition from online retailers and other stores.Years after the shop closed, the vacant premises had been converted into a large-scale cannabis-growing operation.Following further investigative work by Berkshire East CID, Begu and Turya were charged two days after the discovery with producing a controlled Class B drug, namely cannabis.Both men pleaded guilty at Reading Magistrates’ Court on the same day.
Men sentenced to 14 months in prison
Ajet Begu and Aryan Turya jailed for 14 months after police uncovered the £1.3 million cannabis factory in Slough. (Photo: Thames Valley Police)
Begu and Turya were subsequently sentenced at Reading Crown Court on August 21.A judge handed both men prison sentences of one year and two months for their involvement in the cannabis production operation.Detective Constable George Randell, the investigating officer from Berkshire East CID, said the discovery represented a significant disruption to the production and supply of cannabis in the area.“Following our hard work, Ajet Begu and Aryan Turya have been sentenced for their involvement in the production of more than £1m-worth of cannabis in the former BHS store in Slough,” Randell said.He described the discovery of the plants as an “incredible sight”, given that the cannabis factory had been spread across two floors and concealed inside what appeared to be a disused building.“Our intervention no doubt had a significant impact on those producing and supplying cannabis in Slough and wider, but we are continuing to investigate the cannabis factory’s links to organised crime,” he added.
Police warn organised crime links are still being investigated
Thames Valley Police said it would not tolerate people attempting to exploit local communities or bring drugs into them.The force added that officers would continue to target those involved in drug production and supply, as well as seize drugs and criminal assets.Police said their investigation into potential links between the cannabis factory and organised crime remains ongoing.