CANNABIS with a street value of nearly half a million pounds has been seized in a police raid on a house in Worsley.

More than 630 were plants were found in the raid at a home in Worsley Road on Wednesday at about 5pm.

The yield of the plants could have been up to £400,000, police said.

The entire upstairs had been converted into a cannabis farm, and all the bedrooms were full of cannabis.

Police found the electricity had also been bypassed.

Ch Supt Mary Doyle said: “This is a massively significant find and one that will hit the drug dealers where it hurts them most - in their pocket.

"When we talk about £400,000 worth of cannabis what we mean in real terms is nearly half-a-million pounds of drugs which might have found its way into a criminal’s pockets.

“This was sizeable operation, reflected in the fact the entire upstairs area was used to cultivate cannabis.

“Our inquiries will now be focused on finding who was responsible for such a large criminal operation,.

“Whoever is responsible has demonstrated a significant level of planning, but unfortunately for them this has been matched by our own determination to tackle drug dealing and organised criminality in our communities.

"Organised criminals see cannabis cultivation as a low risk, high profit venture, and there is clear evidence that they use cannabis production as a way to fund a range of other criminal activities, such as violent crime and trafficking class A drugs.”

Ch Supt Doyle said the drugs bust was a result of intelligence from residents.

Police say tell-tale signs of cannabis being grown include a strong and sickly sweet smell, constantly covered or blocked off windows, visitors at unsociable hours and high levels of heat and condensation.

People can report cannabis cultivation to police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.