TWO men have been charged after a huge cannabis factory with plants worth £1million was uncovered in Kidderminster.

Officers raided the former Secret Garden bar on New Road and discovered the massive cannabis farm, with 500 plants estimated to have a value of £1million.

Klaver Arapi, aged 21 and Artur Gega, aged 40, both of no fixed abode, have been charged with cultivating cannabis. 

Both men appeared at Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court earlier this week and have been remanded in custody to appear there again on Friday (July 8).

Officers from West Mercia Police executed a misuse of drugs warrant at the former bar next to Aldi on Sunday. 

A spokesperson for the force said: "At around 3.30pm on Sunday 3 July officers visited the former Secret Garden bar on New Road in Kidderminster to execute a misuse of drugs warrant. 

​"Officers gained entry through a myriad of doors to discover that business was ‘blooming’ at the former venue.

​"The venue was set up for various stages of cannabis growth from mature plants to a nursery area and a drying room for buds.

​"Early estimations suggest there were approximately 500 plants, which would yield an estimated £1 million".

To report concerns about drugs visit the Tell Us About section of the West Mercia Police website. 

Previously, drug seizures by police in West Mercia rose during the first year of the pandemic amid a rise in drug hauls nationally.

Police chiefs say a drop in calls from the public during parts of 2020-21 meant forces across England and Wales had more capacity to proactively police drugs crimes.

Home Office data shows West Mercia Police carried out 4,152 seizures in the year to March – up 18 per cent from 3,508 the year before.

There were 220,000 seizures nationally, up more than a fifth from 2019-20.