AN anonymous tip-off led police to smash a £100,000 drugs factory in Huddersfield.

Within two hours of the phone call, officers had raided a cellar at an industrial complex in Marsh and found a massive cannabis factory.

They believe the cellar, in the former Marsh Mills complex in Luck Lane, was filled with between 300 and 400 plants, as well as expensive hydroponic growing equipment.

And with each plant estimated to have a street value of £300, the drugs could have been worth up to £100,000.

Insp Mohammed Rauf, who led the policing operation, praised the informant who came forward.

“The public are our eyes and ears,” he said.

“We welcome any help we get from the public and this operation shows what we can do.

“We got the call yesterday shortly after 9.15am and within two hours officers had seized the drugs and all the equipment.

“It is vital that we get the public’s help and this tip-off has led to police getting a very large amount of a drug off the streets of Huddersfield.”

Many of the units are occupied but the cellar unit had not been let out.

Police called in electricians to make safe the power circuits, which had been tampered with to provide heating and light for the plants.

They found boxes and boxes of compost with cannabis plants in various stages of growth.

Insp Rauf, of the Huddersfield North Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This is certainly one of the biggest cannabis factories we have found in Huddersfield.

“The people behind this operation have certainly gone to a lot of trouble. They have set up a feeding and watering system on an automated basis, so that no-one needs to be here to look after the plants.

“Now our inquiries are focused on finding those who were behind this factory.”

Paul Maloney, who owns Maloney’s Gym in another part of the complex, said those using the cellar could have taken in the equipment through a side gate off Luck Lane, rather than through the main entrance.

“I am sure that if they had been coming or going through the main entrance we would have seen them, as they would have to go right past our premises and those of another firm.”

Police urged anyone with information about the factory or any other suspected drugs operation to contact them on 101 or anonymously on Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.