A three-storey cannabis farm has been discovered in a former nightclub in Coventry.
About 1,000 plants worth more than £1m were found inside the property on Trinity Street on Thursday after officers smashed through several reinforced doors to gain access.
The cannabis plants were spread out across three floors, along with £150,000 worth of “sophisticated” planting, growing and irrigation equipment, the National Crime Agency said.
Police used a drone to hunt two men who attempted to flee the building. Three men were subsequently arrested and charged with production of a class B drug.
The NCA branch commander, Adam Warnock, said: “This is a significant drug seizure, which will have a huge impact on the organised crime groups involved, depriving them of commodity and profit.
“The size of the cannabis factory was significant and sophisticated, spread across three floors of a large building. It is certainly one of the largest grows ever uncovered by the NCA. Our investigation into this seizure continues.”
Andi Qani, 24, and Cao Van Vu, 31, appeared before Coventry magistrates on Friday where they were remanded in custody until their next court appearance at Warwick crown court on 12 November.
A third man, Adrian Lieshaj, 28, is wanted by German authorities for robbery and is the subject of a European arrest warrant. He appeared at Westminster magistrates court on Friday for the extradition matter to be heard.
Ch Supt Lee Wharmby, head of West Midlands police’s operations department, said: “Our pilots helped detain two people using our state-of-the art drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras.”