Antrim Crown Court sentenced two men on 13 December 2024 over a sophisticated cannabis farm discovered in Ballymena in September 2023.[1] Lin Wang, 47, received 24 months for cultivating cannabis and possessing Class B drugs with intent to supply.[1] Robert McMitchell, 60, from Newtownabbey, received 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty to permitting production of Class B drugs on his premises and possessing criminal property.[1]
A factory fed from the mains
On 27 September 2023 officers searched business premises owned by McMitchell on Broughshane Street, Ballymena.[1] Inside they found a large cultivation spread over four rooms, with more than 300 plants at various stages of growth.[1] The premises had no electricity supply of its own: a feed had been dug up from the mains under the road outside.[1] Specialist police resources were needed to dismantle the operation.[1]
Wang was arrested in an adjoining premises; police believed he maintained the cultivation.[1] Officers also searched two further premises in Ballymena, finding what they believed was a partly dismantled grow in one and cultivation equipment stored in the other.[1]
Organised crime links
Police also recovered a large amount of cash in sterling and euros, which is subject to ongoing criminal-property proceedings.[1] A detective inspector called the operation clearly well organised, with all the hallmarks of organised-crime-group involvement, and said those running it were motivated by greed.[1] Police believed Chinese and Western Balkan nationals were involved, and said the farm could have made hundreds of thousands of pounds over several harvests.[1]
