Huge 800 Plant Cannabis Farm Found Inside Former Sunderland School

Armed police uncovered a suspected industrial-scale cannabis farm inside a former Sunderland school after reports of suspicious activity triggered a major late-night operation.

Officers descended on the former Sunderland High School site on Gray Road in Hendon on Saturday evening, where firearms officers, police vehicles and a drone were seen surrounding the historic Grade II listed building. The large emergency response attracted the attention of nearby residents, many of whom said they had never witnessed such a significant police presence in the area.

The discovery has become one of the largest suspected cannabis farms uncovered in the North East this year and serves as another reminder that organised criminal groups continue to target empty commercial buildings across the region, including Newcastle and neighbouring Sunderland.

Police uncover suspected cannabis factory.

Northumbria Police said officers were called shortly before 9.30pm on Saturday after receiving reports of suspicious activity on Gray Road.

Following enquiries, officers entered Langham Tower, part of the former Sunderland High School complex, where they discovered what is believed to be a cannabis cultivation operation containing approximately 800 plants.

Firearms officers attended the scene as a precaution while the building was secured and searched.

Two men were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the production of a Class B drug. A man in his 40s has since been released on police bail while enquiries continue. A second man, in his 50s, was released with no further action.

Police confirmed the cannabis farm is now being dismantled and investigations remain ongoing.

Residents describe major overnight operation.

People living near the former school said the scale of the response was unlike anything they had previously experienced.

One nearby resident said they counted around a dozen armed officers at the scene while a police drone remained overhead for several hours.

The resident said the operation continued into the early hours of the morning and described seeing officers force entry into the listed building before beginning their search.

Images from the scene later showed police vehicles remaining outside the property while officers continued their investigation.

Why abandoned buildings are often targeted.

Former schools, warehouses, offices and vacant commercial properties are increasingly attractive to organised crime groups operating large cannabis farms.

Many empty buildings already have electricity, multiple rooms and limited public access, making them easier to convert into large growing operations while remaining hidden from view.

Police forces across the North East, including Northumbria Police, have repeatedly warned that sophisticated cannabis factories are often linked to wider organised crime networks involved in drug trafficking, money laundering and the exploitation of vulnerable people.

The scale of cannabis production in the UK.

Large cannabis farms continue to be uncovered across the UK every year.

According to the National Crime Agency, organised crime groups frequently establish industrial cannabis cultivation sites capable of producing millions of pounds worth of drugs annually, with abandoned commercial buildings becoming increasingly common locations for these operations.

Meanwhile, Home Office data shows police forces across England and Wales dismantle thousands of cannabis farms each year as part of efforts to disrupt organised criminal networks. Many are discovered following reports from members of the public who notice unusual activity, strong smells, covered windows or excessive ventilation equipment.

The National Crime Agency has also warned that many cannabis farms are connected to modern slavery, with vulnerable individuals sometimes forced or coerced into maintaining growing operations under threats of violence or debt.

Investigation continues.

Northumbria Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the discovery and are appealing for anyone with information about suspicious activity linked to the building to come forward.

While the former Sunderland High School has stood empty since closing in 2016, the discovery highlights how vacant sites across the North East, including Newcastle and Sunderland, can become targets for organised criminal activity if left unsecured.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Share your views.

Have you noticed suspicious activity at an empty building in Newcastle, Sunderland or elsewhere in the North East?