Cannabis plants worth £500k found in former bank

The huge haul was found in the former Royal Bank of Scotland in Kidderminster

A cannabis farm with plants worth nearly £500,000 has been found inside a former bank in Kidderminster.

Officers raided the old Royal Bank of Scotland building on Worcester Street in the early hours of Monday after people reported being able to smell cannabis coming from inside.

They found more than 650 plants and two men in their 30s were arrested on suspicion of production of cannabis.

West Mercia Police described the farm as a "sophisticated operation" which used specialist lighting and ventilation systems to grow as many plants as possible.

Det Sgt Kirsty Hill said the discovery of the farm meant a "significant quantity" of cannabis had been taken off the streets.

"These grows are often linked to serious and organised crime groups, human trafficking and the exploitation of vulnerable people, and can present significant fire safety risks to the people in the surrounding area," she said.