A giant Burnham drugs factory was raided and three men have been arrested.

Police discovered more than 400 mature cannabis plants, thought to have a £400,000 street value, at a unit on the Springfield Industrial Estate, which neighbours say had been occupied for no longer than three months.

Eyewitnesses say they saw six police vans turn up at about 5pm on Friday when officers smashed down the door and raided the 5,000 sq ft mezzanine unit.

A police spokesman said: “It is believed that Maldon officers acting expeditiously in their duty stopped further production of the drug being cultivated as the set-up of the drug factory suggested that the amount seized was possibly only a quarter of the intended cultivation.”

“Maldon police executed a warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

“Three men were arrested being concerned in the production of cannabis.”

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