The owners of a family home in Alltwen have spoken of their shock at learning tenants had turned it into a cannabis factory. Amjid and Tina Rahman rented out the property they had lived in on Alltwen Hill for two years when Mr Rahman's work commitments meant the couple had to move to Slough.
But, just weeks after agreeing a tenant, they received a phone call to tell them that police officers had raided their former home and that strangers had been arrested on their property - with more than 200 cannabis plants.
Mrs Rahman, aged 29, said: "I received a phone call saying there had been a drugs raid and that police were looking for us.
"I couldn't believe it. I was really upset - this is our family home and we hope to return here someday."
The couple left the home to move to Slough in May, but wanted to keep hold of the property they shared with their eight children.
So, after advertising for tenants, they were contacted by a man who introduced them to a couple with a child who agreed to take over the tenancy.
Sales manager Mr Rahman said: "Neighbours said they saw men loading all sorts of equipment like lamps into the house. They were doing it in broad daylight - right in the middle of the afternoon when children were coming home from school.
"The neighbours could hear all sorts of noise and banging on."
After tipping-off police, officers raided the property last Thursday, , and discovered the place had been converted into a professional drugs factory - complete with blacked out windows and high-power lamps.
The electricity supply had also been tampered with, and two women, aged 32 and 39 - whom Mr and Mrs Rahman had never met before - were arrested on suspicion of cannabis cultivation.
"I was more amazed than anything," said Mr Rahman, aged 30.
"But it could be worse because all that needs to be repaired is some plastering and the electricity.
"What is worrying is they opened mail addressed to us, so they could have taken our personal details and used them, so we have to contact the bank.
"We had absolutely no idea."
The couple admit that once they have carried out repairs, they are likely to have to rent the property out again.
Mrs Rahman said: "My mother still lives in Alltwen and had driven past the house and said she had seen the windows looking dark, and that is because they had been blacked out.
"And there were reports of people coming in and out and acting suspiciously.
"This is our home and we lived here - it was really upsetting.
"But we are determined to clean it up and get it back to normal," added Mrs Rahman.
Cannabis News 
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