CANNABIS plants with a street value of almost £500,000 have been seized in a series of raids.

The police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit swooped on three homes in Blackburn and one in Haslingden.

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Between 200 and 250 mature cannabis plants were discovered in each of the homes: in Lynwood Street, Corporation Park; Irving Place, Wensley Fold; Ripon Street, Audley; and Warwick Street, Haslingden.

In a separate raid, police were called to a house in Langham Road, Shear Brow, at 6pm on Tuesday and discovered 220 plants inside. All the properties raided were terraced houses on residential streets.

Officers said several rooms in each property were being used to cultivate the plants, with sophisticated hydroponic systems used to water them.

The total number of plants found in the raids was around 1,220.

Police said each mature plant is worth around £400 to a street dealer and could be converted into about £488,000 of illegal ‘skunk’ style cannabis.

Neighbours in Lynwood Street said officers had arrived in two vans at around 11.30am.

Officers smashed their way through the door of the house, opposite Sacred Heart RC Primary School, which was yesterday boarded up.

TA 75-year-old resident said: “I’ve spoke to other neighbours and nobody had a clue what was going on.

“The police were here for a few hours and the vans were coming and going.”

Those living close to the house raided in Ripon Street told a similar story.

There, the wooden door was left splintered and the handle was missing after officers had forced their way inside.

What appeared to be a newly installed lock now secures the premises.

A 55-year-old neighbour said: “We heard nothing from the house and were really surprised at what was going on and the police activity.

“Seeing the police around here like that is very unusual.”

The raid in Warwick Street took place directly opposite Haslingden Baptist Church.

One neighbour, a 75-year-old woman, who has lived on the street for 40 years, said the properties at the bottom of the street had been rented out and had a ‘transient’ population.

She said: “A drug farm on a street like this is so surprising, it used to be so nice.

“Nothing like this has happened before here but it just goes to show that you can’t be sure what’s happening with your neighbours.”

Inspector John Fryer said the Langham Road raid happened after the landlord called police after fearing the house had been broken into.

Once the officers were inside, they discovered the plants in two bedrooms and the attic.

A resident said: “I saw two police cars outside the house at about 5.45pm on Tuesday and then some of the police officers went around the back of the house.

“The police then came back early on yesterday morning. They were at the house for a while.

“I’m happy the drugs have been discovered as it means they will not be going onto the streets and into the hands of the wrong people.

“I used to see a man go into the house regularly but he didn’t look like he lived there.”

Another resident said: “People have been talking about the house for a while now.

“Lots of neighbours have commented on there being a funny smell on the street and I have noticed it a couple of times.

“There was a cannabis farm found over the road a while ago and they were moved out.

“It’s bad to see that a large amount of drugs like this have been found in a residential area but I’m pleased they won’t be going anywhere now.”

Four people were arrested and three have been charged in connection with the raids.

Nam Phan, 18, of no fixed address, was charged with producing cannabis and abstracting electricity.

A 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy, both of no fixed address, were both charged with producing cannabis and abstracting electricity.

A 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of producing cannabis and abstracting electricity and has been transferred to another force area where he was wanted.