[420 Girl]

International drug rings are targeting Northamptonshire as part of a national cannabis factory epidemic.

Two drug factories found in Corby this week bring the total discovered across the county to 17 in the past nine months.

In the past three-and-a-half years a total of 58 such factories have been found in Northamptonshire.

Officers believe the cannabis production plants found in Jay Close on the Oakley Vale estate may have been abandoned after raids last month.

Detective Inspector Neil McMahon, of Northamptonshire Police, said the rise in cannabis factory finds was largely due to activity by international drug rings, as well as local criminals.

He said: "It's not a local problem, its a national problem.

"Houses are being rented and used short-term just to become cannabis factories.

"We have a very organised group of people who are treating the country as an opportunity to use properties as drug factories. It has got an international theme to it.

"The second ones are factories being set up by local criminal gangs."

Last month police closed down a sophisticated hydroponics set-up in Spencer, Northampton, following information provided by residents, while there have been a string of raids around the county this year.

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