Two arrested and over 400 cannabis plants seized in Rochdale town centre raid

Friday, 14 November 2025 17:05

By Joshua Stephens

Two men have been arrested after police uncovered a large-scale cannabis farm in the heart of Rochdale early on Friday morning.

The raid was carried out by Greater Manchester Police’s Rochdale Challenger Unit, supported by district tasking and neighbourhood teams, at a former commercial property on 14 November.

Officers seized more than 400 cannabis plants spread across three floors of the building. Two men, one in his 50s and another in his 20s, were arrested on suspicion of cultivating cannabis and abstracting electricity.

The building had been extensively converted for industrial-scale cannabis production. Police said the plants were nearly ready for harvest, but the intervention meant the drugs were seized before they could be distributed.

Detective Sergeant Gabe Gibson from the Challenger Unit said: “The individuals behind this operation were brazen enough to set up a large-scale cannabis farm in the heart of Rochdale, but our specialist teams acted decisively to disrupt and dismantle it.

“Organised crime groups think they can operate with impunity, but we’re sending a clear message: we will find these setups and shut them down.”

He added that the timing of the warrant was crucial. “Our intervention, right before harvest, ensured that their investment in both equipment and labour was for nothing.”

The raid is the latest action by the Rochdale Challenger Unit, which is tasked with tackling organised crime across the borough.

A police spokesperson said the force would continue to act on intelligence and encouraged residents to report suspicious activity.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Greater Manchester Police on 101 or via the Live Chat function on the GMP website. Alternatively, details can be given anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.