Two men have appeared in court after a cannabis grow house and factory was discovered in Strabane yesterday.
Dorjan Ago, 28, and Oktavian Shkombi, 24, appeared before Strabane Magistrates’ Court this morning charged with drugs offences.
Both men, who are understood to be from Albania, are charged with cultivating a cannabis plant, unlawfully possessing the class B drug and with possession of the drug with intent to supply.
BBC NI reports that a PSNI detective constable told the court the estimated value of the cannabis seized at the property on Knockroe Road was £1.2m (€1.39m).
During a short hearing, both men acknowledged they could understand the charges and that they were helping to grow the plants.
However they added they “did not know anything else”.
The court was told the men were arrested on Wednesday following the search of a property.
The police officer said the property was searched under warrant and it contained a cannabis factory with more than 500 plants.
A separate container was also searched and contained 105 kilogrammes of herbal cannabis in vacuum-packed bags.
The court was told that both defendants were arrested in the site where the cannabis was growing.
Both men were remanded in custody to appear again on 31 July.
Yesterday, police reported the operation was led by detectives from the Organised Crime Branch who are investigating suspected drugs criminality linked to the INLA.