LONDON (Reuters) – The first cannabis farm was found in London’s historic financial district, where office buildings were emptied because of blockages to contain the spread of COVID-19, British police said on Wednesday.
London city police said 826 cannabis plants were found in a building near the Bank of England. The police said there were reports of a “strong cannabis smell”, which led to the operation.
“This is the first cannabis factory in the city, no doubt being created in response to fewer people who left home during the pandemic and who may have noticed any unusual activity,” the police said in a statement.
The city of London, home to the world’s largest commercial insurance market, banks and fund managers, has been largely deserted since March, after most employees were asked to work from home.
During an online event on Wednesday, Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said people are likely to joke about what central bank officials have been doing.
“Now we will be the subject of endless jokes about ‘now we know what the Bank of England is doing,'” he said. “I’m sure there will be many more jokes. It is very quiet near the Bank of England, I must say. “
Reporting by Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Paulo Simão