Former Finchley cannabis factory up for sale with evidence of property's illegal past
A former cannabis factory in North London is up for sale at auction with photos showing evidence of its illegal past use.
The two bedroom flat on Ballards Lane in Finchley comes with a guide price of £275,000 and requires some extensive refurbishment.
Photos show reflective lining on the walls, wires dangling from the ceiling and large pipes fed through internal walls.
Traces of what appear to cannabis leaves are also littered across the floor.
The local council has given planning permission to convert the loft and existing flat into two self contained properties.
This week the Met revealed how it was using innovative tactics to target violent gangs, drug dealing and the associated violence that causes harm to London’s communities.
Officers are working with others and employing a tactic known as Clear, Hold, Build to bear down on criminals who blight communities.
In a series of early morning raids on Tuesday Specialist Crime officers made ten arrests as they pursued gang members in north Westminster.
The arrests were the latest chapter in a wider operation targeting a high harm gang linked to firearms offences, city lines drug dealing and exploitation.
The operation has already led to the seizure of four firearms, 61 rounds of ammunition, 43kg of cannabis, 5.5kg of cocaine, 3kg of heroin and around £50,000 in cash.
An additional 27 people have also been arrested previously on suspicion of offences including weapons possession, drugs offences and violence.
Detective Chief Inspector Ben Mahoney, who is leading the operation, said: "This operation is the culmination of months of intense work targeting this violent gang.
"But it is only one step to clear this area and break the ongoing cycle of misery and violent crime that this gang fuels.
"We are working closely with our own neighbourhood teams, officers from the area’s gangs unit and Specialist Crime, to hold these streets and prevent others filling the void.
"I am confident that with this side-by-side approach, which goes far beyond enforcement, we can help communities build a thriving future."
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