By Stefan Morkis

THE NUMBER of cannabis factories uncovered by police in Scotland rose from just two in 2005/06 to more than 70 last year.

The shocking statistic comes just days after police uncovered a massive cannabis growing operation in a leafy suburb of Dundee.

Police raided the cannabis factory in a quiet Broughty Ferry street last Friday and are still on the hunt for the criminals behind the operation in Portree Avenue.

According to the Scottish Crime and Drugs Enforcement Agency, cannabis is now being grown on an unprecedented scale in Scotland, with houses, garages and factories all used by criminals to grow the Class C drug.

It is understood that Triad gangs may be responsible for running the factories and are importing Vietnamese or Chinese workers to look after and cultivate the cannabis plants.

Although most factories have been located in the Central Belt, they are becoming increasingly common elsewhere in Scotland.

Last year, six factories were discovered in Tayside and already this year four men have appeared in court following a raid on an alleged cannabis factory in Liff.

Detective Superintendent Willie MacColl, national drugs co-ordinator with the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, said, “It is a huge problem for us and something we are very concerned about.”

DS MacColl said it was unclear whether the cannabis was being cultivated for sale on Scotland’s streets or for smuggling abroad but it was evident that foreign criminals were behind many of the country’s cannabis factories.

“There are certainly links between the Chinese and Vietnamese criminals connected to it, but some local people have been connected to it,” he said.

He added that gangs were also trying to grow plants that have greater levels of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient of cannabis and that this could lead to mental health problems in later life for smokers.

DS MacColl also said measures used by gangs to cultivate large crops of cannabis came with their own dangers.

“They desire to make sure the growing conditions are correct and are being grown in a way that can cause fires.

“They are also bypassing electrical systems and so there are risks doing that.”

DS MacColl added the public can play a part in detecting cannabis factories.

“People should look out for things like the windows being blacked out or people coming and going at odd hours,” he said.