POLICE have uncovered a suspected cannabis factory following a planned search of commercial premises in Castlereagh.
Detectives from the PSNI Criminal Investigation Branch were assisted by colleagues from Immigration Enforcement.
Cannabis plants with an estimated street value of around £600,000 were discovered at a property in the Gransha Road area on Tuesday.
There were six further searches in the Dromore, Belfast and Lisburn yesterday during which two suspected firearms and £5000 were seized.
Six people were arrested for a variety of suspected offences including suspicion of producing Class B drugs, assisting unlawful immigration, dishonestly using electricity, cultivating cannabis and possession of Class A drugs.
They were last night at Musgrave Police Station where they are helping police with their enquiries.
Detective Inspector Pete Mullan said drugs were a blight on society and caused damage to users and their families and communities.
"Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug and the most seized illegal drug in Northern Ireland with 90 per cent of the drug market being casual users," he said.
"Yesterday's find has removed a substantial amount of cannabis which has prevented around £600,000 from getting into the hands of organised criminals and therefore preventing them from bringing harm to our communities."
