[Sativa]

A man who grew marijuana plants in Kent at what police believe was the UK's biggest cannabis factory has been jailed.

Stephen Rochester cultivated more than 4,000 of the plants at a 20,000 square-foot warehouse on an industrial estate in Ramsgate. The street value of the plants was valued at between £1.9m and £2.5m, Canterbury Crown Court heard.

Rochester, 60, of Cliffsend Grove, and another man, Dennis Murphy, 40, of Frazier Street, south London, admitted cultivating cannabis.

The drugs factory was raided on May 8 last year.

Rochester was jailed for four years and nine months while Murphy received a nine-month suspended sentence and 120 hours' community service.

Detective Chief Inspector Rob Vinson of Kent Police said: "This was the biggest cannabis factory find in the South East and possibly the country and its discovery has made a major dent in the drugs supply in Thanet and possibly in the South East.

"We have seen an increase in cannabis factories and the clear message to anyone who gets involved in the cultivation of drugs is 'be prepared to go to prison'."


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