Officers from Strathclyde Police and the Serious Organised Crime Agency, acting under warrant, entered a large five-bedroom detached house in Longhill Avenue, Ayr, where they discovered more than 400 cannabis plants with an estimated street value of £120,000.
The morning raid was linked to Operation League, a national operation led by Strathclyde Police supported by officers from the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), which targets South East Asian Organised Crime Groups involved in the cultivation of commercial cannabis cultivations throughout Scotland
A 25-year-old man has been arrested in connection with this recovery.
A full report will be submitted to the Procurator Fiscal.
The raid follows two other seizures in Ayrshire over the past two weeks in Kilmaurs Road Kilmarnock and also business premises in Lochshore Industrial Estate in Glengarnock where a total of 1,300 plants were recovered valued at £387,300.
Operation League has been running as a national operation since October 2008 and cannabis cultivations have been identified in every Scottish Force. There have been 104 large-scale cannabis cultivations identified to date with 78 people being arrested. More than 48,000 plants have been recovered with an estimated value of £14.4 million.
Detective Inspector Joe McLaughlin of Strathclyde Police said:
"The significant seizures both in Strathclyde, and indeed Scotland highlight our commitment to cracking down on cannabis cultivation sites and arresting those involved in this type of activity. The work undertaken by ourselves, SOCA and other Scottish Forces has led to the positive outcome of drugs being prevented from making their way onto our streets. The targeting of Organised Crime Groups is a high priority for Strathclyde Police and other Scottish Forces and we will continue to disrupt this activity whenever we can."
Bob Lauder, Regional Director of the Serious Organised Crime Agency added:
"This seizure shows the UK is not a soft environment fro criminals. This is an excellent result for SOCA's partnership with Strathclyde Police and other Scottish Law Enforcement Agencies. Together with our international and UK partners we are tightening the net."
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