Key Points
- On Wednesday, November 4, 2026, the police raided a property in Stonesteads Way in Bromley Cross, Bolton.
- The search yielded 49 cannabis plants by the Bolton North Neighbourhood Team.
- Additionally, the police retrieved more than £25,000 worth of cash from the property.
- There was an arrest made of a 69-year-old woman for suspected cannabis cultivation and electricity theft.
- She is currently out on bail pending further inquiries by the police.
- The raid included some photographs on social media by the police that included a photo of a sniffer dog at the scene.
- However, there hasn’t been any conviction or any allegations proved in court.
Bolton (Manchester Mirror) November 9, 2026 — Greater Manchester Police said officers discovered a cannabis cultivation site and more than £25,000 in cash during a search at a property on Stonesteads Way in Bromley Cross.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, officers from Greater Manchester Police’s Bolton North Neighbourhood Team carried out the search on Wednesday, November 4. During the operation, they said they found 49 cannabis plants at the address.
The force also said officers recovered more than £25,000 in cash. The police statement described the discovery as a cannabis farm and said the plants and cash were found during the search of the property.
The Bolton News likewise reported that a woman had been arrested after police uncovered a cannabis farm and seized tens of thousands of pounds in cash from a property in Bromley Cross.
Who has been arrested?
A 69-year-old woman was arrested in connection with the discovery. According to Greater Manchester Police, she was detained on suspicion of cannabis production and electricity abstraction.
Electricity abstraction generally refers to the alleged unlawful taking or diversion of electricity. In cannabis-cultivation investigations, police often examine whether power has been bypassed or otherwise obtained without proper payment, because indoor cultivation can require substantial amounts of electricity for lighting, heating and ventilation.
Greater Manchester Police said the woman has been released on bail while further enquiries continue. Bail does not determine guilt or innocence; it means the investigation remains active while police gather and assess evidence.
No charge, court appearance or conviction has been reported in the available police statement or subsequent coverage.
Where did the search take place?
The search took place at a property on Stonesteads Way in Bromley Cross, an area of Bolton. Greater Manchester Police identified the location in its public statement about the operation.
The Manchester Evening News reported that the property was in the Bromley area, while its headline and the Bolton News report identified the location more specifically as Bromley Cross. The police statement itself referred to Stonesteads Way and the Bolton North Neighbourhood Team.
Officers also published images connected with the search on social media. The images included a photograph of a sniffer dog at the scene, according to the Manchester Evening News.
What did Greater Manchester Police say?
In a statement accompanying the images, a Greater Manchester Police representative said:
“#AR | A has been a cannabis was discovered Bromley. On Wednesday, November 4, 2026 officers from Bolton Northhood Team a property Stonestead Way.”
The force added:
“During the search, they found a cannabis farm with 49 plants and over £25,000 in cash. The 69-year woman was on suspicion cannabis production and electricity abstraction. She has been released on bail as further inquiries continue.”
The wording in the publicly shared police post appears to contain several typographical or transcription errors. The core details reported by both the Manchester Evening News and the Bolton News are consistent: 49 plants, more than £25,000 in cash, the arrest of a 69-year-old woman, and allegations concerning cannabis production and electricity abstraction.
Why was cash seized?
Police said the £25,000 was found during the same search that uncovered the cannabis plants. The force has not publicly stated in the available reporting what it believes the cash represents, how it will be dealt with, or whether it is connected to any alleged offence beyond the matters under investigation.
In criminal investigations, cash recovered during a search may be retained while officers establish its origin and consider whether it is connected to alleged criminal conduct. Any further action would depend on the evidence gathered and on decisions by investigators and, where relevant, prosecutors or a court.
The available reporting does not say whether the cash has been formally seized under specific legal powers, whether an application has been made to keep it, or whether anyone else is being investigated.
What happens next in the investigation?
Greater Manchester Police said further enquiries are continuing. The force has not provided a timetable for the investigation, said whether it expects further arrests, or confirmed whether the woman will be charged.
Because the woman was released on bail, the investigation remains ongoing. Police may seek further information from witnesses, examine digital or financial evidence, analyse items recovered from the property, and prepare a file for a charging decision if appropriate.
At this stage, the reported allegations remain allegations. A person arrested by police is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
How significant was the discovery?
The reported discovery involved 49 cannabis plants and more than £25,000 in cash. Police described the site as a cannabis farm, although the available statements do not give an estimated street value for the plants, say whether they were mature, or provide details about the scale or condition of the cultivation operation.
The Manchester Evening News described the find as a “huge cannabis farm” in its headline, while its report did not provide an independent valuation of the plants or cash. The Bolton News similarly reported that tens of thousands of pounds had been seized, consistent with the police statement’s reference to more than £25,000.
No police valuation, drug-analysis result, property-damage estimate or court document has been included in the available reporting.
Background of the development
Bolton has seen a number of cannabis-cultivation investigations in recent years. In August 2026, the Bolton News reported that officers from the Bolton North Neighbourhood Team raided a property in Hill Cot Road, Astley Bridge, and seized 113 cannabis plants.
In that earlier case, a police spokesperson said the property had been converted into a cannabis farm and that the plants had been destroyed. The force said enquiries were ongoing to identify those responsible.
The latest Stonesteads Way search was carried out by the same Bolton North Neighbourhood Team, according to Greater Manchester Police’s statement. Neighbourhood policing teams commonly carry out warrants and searches based on intelligence, community information and ongoing investigative work, although the available reporting does not state what prompted the Stonesteads Way search.
Prediction: what it could mean for local residents
For residents of Bromley Cross and wider Bolton, the development is likely to renew attention on suspected cannabis cultivation and the potential risks associated with unauthorised electricity use. If the allegations are proven in due course, the case could also add to local pressure for continued police action against illegal cultivation sites.
In the short term, residents may see increased police activity around the area as officers continue enquiries. Greater Manchester Police has said only that further investigations are ongoing, so it is not possible to say whether further searches, arrests or charges will follow.
For the 69-year-old woman, the immediate practical effect is that she remains under police investigation while on bail. Any eventual outcome will depend on the evidence police gather, any charging decision, and if a case reaches court—the findings of the court. Until then, the reported allegations should be treated as unproven.
