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Officers were called to reports of cannabis plants growing inside the former station in Massetts Road in the Sussex border town of Horley on March 11 at 3.30pm.
The raid uncovered an illegal cannabis farm with a large number of plants.
Surrey Police has confirmed that a man has been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of class B drugs.
The man has been released on bail and enquiries remain ongoing.
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The former Surrey Police station in Horley has been empty for years and was sold off as surplus to requirements.
It was sold to property company Suwanee UK Limited for £1,125,000 in 2023.
Stunned locals reported seeing police busting their way into their former place of work.
A local who asked not to be named said: “I asked one of the police who was there this morning what was going on and they said they couldn’t tell me.
“The only thing they would tell me was that nobody has been hurt.
“The funny thing is, even though it’s not been a police station for years they still park outside there all the time.
“They were there all day, It took them ages to get in through the gates into the back as they were struggling to get the lock off.
“There were police cars and vans there all day.
“You see cars come and go from there all the time; it’s just the brazen way they were doing it.
“Literally, right under their noses – and they didn’t even smell it.”
Hot house cannabis farms need a lot of electricity to run the sun lamps needed to grow crops inside.
On the day, electrical engineers were on site making the police station safe.
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Another resident, who also did not want to give their name, said they had seen people trying to get into the compound.
They said: “We have been getting a very strong smell of cannabis coming into the building for months but I just thought it must be people smoking.
“I saw somebody trying to get over the fence a while back.
“They said that they were working on the old police station but they didn’t look like a real workman.”
A Surrey Police spokeswoman said: “Anyone with any information in relation to the ongoing investigation over the Horley cannabis factory is asked to contact Surrey Police on 101 quoting ref PR/45250029064.”
“}]] Officers were called to reports of cannabis plants growing inside the former station in Massetts Road in the Sussex border town of Horley on March… Read More
