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Thousands of cannabis plants found at bunker

Credit: Wiltshire Police

Six people have been arrested after thousands of cannabis plants were found at an underground nuclear bunker in Wiltshire.

A midnight raid on RGHQ Chilmark found every single room was being used for the wholesale production of cannabis plants.

The bunker was constructed in the 1980s to house government officials in the event of a nuclear attack.

The site is no longer owned by the Ministry of Defence but the bunker itself is still intact with the blast doors still in place.

Due to the doors being impenetrable, officers waited for three people to leave before entering using their keys.

The 27, 30 and 45 year old men, all from Somerset, who left the bunker were arrested on suspicion of cannabis production and human trafficking offences.

Three males were found inside the bunker operating as gardeners and were aged 15, 19 and 37.

The three men found inside, all of no fixed abode, were also arrested on suspicion of cannabis production.

Watch reporter Caron Bell's report from inside the bunker itself here

There are approximately 20 rooms in the building, split over two floors, each 200ft long and 70 ft wide. Almost every single room had been converted for the wholesale production of cannabis plants, and there was a large amount of evidence of previous crops. This was an enormous set up."

– Detective Inspector Paul Franklin, Dedicated Crime Team