Gwent Police dismantle large cannabis farm in former Wildings

The building - which has stood empty since the long-running department store closed its doors for good in 2019 - is located in one of Newport’s busiest retail streets.

A 27-year-old and a 28-year-old from Newport were charged with producing a controlled Class B drug – cannabis, and have been remanded into custody. They will appear in court on Thursday, November 9.

The cannabis farm - made up of more than 3,000 plants - was discovered in the empty shop on Tuesday, October 10, following reports of suspicious activity in the building.

Officer in the case, PC Mathew Tucker said: “Every cannabis factory we dismantle helps prevent a vicious cycle of crime. By disrupting the source of the operations, the plants are stopped from being sold into our communities and the profits are prevented from going on to fund other crime.

Wildings in days past, from our archive. (Image: Community Content Network)

“The public play an important role in providing information and we encourage anyone with concerns to get in touch.

“If something doesn’t feel right, it might not be. Don’t wait, report it.

“You can do this by calling 101, sending us a message on social media, or anonymously through Crimestoppers.”

Earlier this year, back in March, two other men, aged 21 and 34, were arrested after a drugs raid in a property nearby the area surrounding the old Wildings store.