A RAID on a rural property uncovered an illegal drugs factory and more than 500 cannabis plants.

Police raided a large detached house in Gravesend Road, near Fairseat, on Wednesday, where they dismantled a hydroponic growing system and seized 540 cannabis plants.

Approximately 200 of the plants had been recently harvested, and almost all the rooms in the house, both upstairs and downstairs, had been equipped for growing.

Officers believe the electricity supply may have been tampered with to provide heat and light required for the plants.

DI Jon Clayden, from West Kent Police, said: “This is a significant seizure and ensures a large quantity of drugs are removed from the supply chain.”

An investigation into the presence of the plants in the house is now on-going as the house was empty when officers went into the premises.

The find comes less than a month after cannabis plants with a potential street value of almost £100,000 were discovered by police growing in a small house in Millhall, Aylesford.