Why are there snail breeding farms in London’s most expensive buildings?

Companies and landlords are setting up underground snail breeding rackets in another way to avoid paying their share of tax.

Images show boxes sat in a modern but empty office space, sealed with ‘L’Escargotiere’, which translates to ‘The Snail Farm’.

Westminster Council has raided a £32 million office block on Old Marylebone Road, where shell companies are, ironically, setting up snail breeding business.

And just a few doors down, a short walk away from Hyde Park, a second empty office space showed more boxes of the animals lying unattended.

In total, four snail breeding companies were discovered by Westminster Council, who later realised have been cheated out of £280,000.

For months, Metro has been tracking down who is breeding these snails – one Mr Terence Ball – and who is hiring t