Police raid on Preston 'cannabis farm'
Two men were arrested today after a raid on a suspected cannabis farm in Preston.
Officers executed a warrant in Aqueduct Street, with activity centred on the building housing the former China House restaurant.
Lancashire police said a 54-year-old man and a 35 year old man had been arrested on suspicion of cannabis cultivation.
Both are now in custody.
A police spokesman said a warrant was executed at 9am today.
This afternoon a number of police vehicles were still parked outside the premises.
An eye witness said: "I've never seen as many police outside one place.
"There must have been nine police cars or vans and electricity vans as well."
The China House restaurant was shut down in 2014.
It was described as a "death trap" during a health and safety prosecution which resulted in the then owner being given a suspended jail sentence, ordered to pay more than £4,700, and told to complete 200 hours’ community service.
Preston Magistrates’ Court heard that an inspection at the Chinese restaurant in May 2013 found “serious and life threatening health and safety breaches”.
The premises, formerly the Lime Kiln pub, were described as a ticking time bomb after safety experts found an explosive cocktail of leaking bottled gas and botched electrical wiring in its cellar.