The BBC filmed the moment Gwent Police officers discovered the large-scale cannabis factory worth £2.1m inside the former Wilding's department store that once stood on one of Newport's high streets.
Police officers raided the building on Commercial Street to find thousands of cannabis plants in all stages of production, as well as the farm's two gardeners.
Illegal immigrants Adrian Daja, 27, and Andi Shabani, 28, were caught looking after the enormous crop inside where Wildings had once stood for 145 years.
They were caught on Tuesday, October 10, 2023, in the derelict department store on Commercial Street, and seemed to be living inside the factory with a 'makeshift' kitchen and bedroom set up.
The two men are currently serving a two year custodial prison sentence which was given to them at the start of this year, and will be deported upon their release, according to Judge Khan.
The court heard in January 2024, that they were working in the factory to pay off the debt of being transported to this country.
During the raid, an officer on duty said: "There are loads of cannabis buds on the floor around the building and we have just witnessed three males running away from the property. They have detained two of them."
Gwent Police Officer Cari said the cannabis factory housing 3000 plants was spread across three or four floors inside the store.
"Every room had a different stage of how it was growing," she said.
The drug specialist officer dealing with this incident described the farm as "one of the biggest farms we have seen in recent times."
To watch the raid, you can tune in to the newest episode of Rookie Cops on BBC One at 8pm today, October 1, or you can watch at any time on BBC iPlayer.
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