Police seize more than 500 cannabis plants in Basildon

Essex Police said all of the plants would be destroyed

More than 500 cannabis plants have been discovered at an industrial unit.

Essex Police forced entry to the unit in Bentalls Business Park, Basildon at 09:00 GMT while executing a search warrant.

Officers also seized hydroponic equipment, lights and 12 bags of harvested cannabis.

No arrests have been made and officers are appealing for anyone with information about the unit or other illegal drug activity to contact them.

Ch Insp Dan McHugh, Basildon district commander, said: "Tackling drugs and drug cultivation is a priority for my teams across the south of Essex, and our community can be reassured we will always act on any information received.

"We know it's a concern, but today we've stopped over 500 cannabis plants from eventually hitting our streets, causing issues for our residents and businesses through the related antisocial behaviour and violence that drugs bring with them.

"It's thanks to the public and the information that they give us that we can proactively tackle drug issues, so I'd encourage anyone who knows who was involved in this or any other illegal activity to contact us and we will act upon it."