TWO illegal immigrants have been arrested on suspicion of producing a haul of cannabis worth nearly £500,000. 

Sussex Police carried out a search after residents reported a funny smell coming from a property in Toddington Lane, Littlehampton.

Officers raided the bungalow on Sunday, June 17, and found more than 600 plants in the house. They were estimated to have a street value of £477,000.

Officers spotted two men escaping through the back of the house.

A police drone, helicopter and dog unit were used to hunt the two suspects. 

Two men, aged 19 and 28, were arrested on suspicion of producing a class B drug.

Both men are Albanian nationals who had entered the UK illegally.

They were released into the custody of the Home Office and remain detained while their immigration cases are dealt with.

Inspector Danny West said: “We would like to extend our thanks to the members of the public for coming forward with the initial information.

"We listened to their concerns and were able to act quickly following the information they provided. Our prevention teams are focusing on preventative policing and tackling local issues.

“We were able to use the technology available to us, such as our drone, to help search for the suspects and catch those responsible for growing this huge cannabis farm.

“This is an excellent result for Sussex Police in taking such a large quantity of drugs off the streets."

Richard Lederle, head of the South East immigration compliance and enforcement team, said: “We are pleased to have been able to support Sussex Police in this operation.

"It is a good example of the strong working relationship we have with police forces across the country.”