Four Lithuanians have been jailed after they were caught running a “substantial and sophisticated” cannabis factory.

During a raid on the house in Gillingham, one police officer was so overcome by the pungent smell from the drug he had to go outside for air.

More than 200 plants were flourishing at the Canterbury Street address when the arrests were made on April 15 last year.

Mantas Semenavicius, 24, Linas Stansys, 23, Raimondas Zilinskas and 46-year-old Jgorus Karasiovas, all of no fixed address, admitted being concerned in the production of cannabis.

Semenavicius was also involved in another cannabis factory at a house in Livingstone Road in the town – revealed after a fire broke out there.

He was given the longest sentence of three years.

Stansys was jailed for two years and eight months, Zilinskas for two years and Karasiovas for 22 months.

Ricardas Meksunas, 40, denied the charge and was cleared by a jury.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Canterbury Street residents contacted the police about the strong smell coming from the house.

Officers saw the windows had been blacked out.

In one bedroom there were three large boxes containing herbal cannabis that had been dried.

Some 30 more plants were seized from another bedroom and others in various stages of growth, some as high as 7ft, were in the basement.

Prosecutor Alexia Zimbler said the electricity had been bypassed and equipment such as lamps and extractors were in use.

The five men there were speaking in Lithuanian.

The conversation was recorded on an officer’s body cam and later translated.

One of them said: “One of us has to be living here. One of us decide quickly or we are all going to be ------ up.”

Miss Zimbler said firefighters discovered the cannabis factory in Livingstone Road on February 27 last year.

A blaze was caused by the circuit board being bypassed.

All three bedrooms had been converted. The walls were lined and heating lamps were used. A total of 319 cannabis plants were growing.

Semenavicius’ identity documents were in the house.

Miss Zimbler said Semenavicius was due to be extradited because he was in breach of two suspended sentences in Lithuania for drug offences and possessing false documents.

Judge David Griffith-Jones said the four were involved in what was plainly a substantial and sophisticated cannabis factory.

“It was capable of producing significant quantities for commercial use,” he added.

“I accept none of you were the directing minds of the operation.

“There can be no doubt you would have been aware of its scale.”