UP TO £2.5million worth of cannabis was recovered in a warehouse raid.

More than 300kg of the drug was recovered from the warehouse in Straits Mill, Braintree.

Police attended the site in Convent Lane at around 2.10pm on Thursday, March 30.

Officers found what they described as a sophisticated cannabis factory with plants in the ‘drying out’ phase.

A team of 10 officers have worked 20 hour shifts to search, document and deconstruct the factory.

A total of 78 bags have been filled with the plants and a 10 tonne skip has been used to help with the deconstruction of the site.

The work at the site has now been completed.

Detective Sergeant Mick Carrington said: "This is one of the largest cannabis factories uncovered in Essex in recent years and represents a huge blow against the drugs industry in our county.

"It has been a daunting task to search the site, recover each plant, and dismantle the equipment due to its sheer size and the volume of drugs here so I want to praise the officers involved.

"They have risen to the challenge, working around the clock and essentially doing double shifts to ensure other areas in the force have not been affected.

"There is no place for this kind of activity in Essex and we will be ruthless in stamping it out.”

Three men have been arrested and charged with the production of cannabis and possession with intent to supply cannabis.

A fourth man, a 30 year-old from London, has been arrested on suspicion of production of cannabis and released on bail until Friday, May 26.