POLICE have charged a Vietnamese couple, following a cannabis raid in Southend.

Long Nguyen, 46, and Huong Pham, 41, both of no fixed address, are each charged with being concerned in the production of a controlled, class B drug and using electrical power without authority.

They have been remanded in police custody to appear before Southend magistrates on the next available day – the court was closed yesterday because of the bad weather.

The charges follow a raid on a lock-up behind a Chinese takeaway in Prince Avenue, Southend, in which 500 cannabis plants were discovered.

Police arrested five Vietnamese people for suspected drug and immigration offences after the raid, at 7.15pm on Saturday.

A 59-year-old man and a 57-year-old woman, both from London, were released on police bail, pending further enquiries.

They have been told to return on February 14.

No further action will be taken against the fifth person, a 24-year-old woman of no fixed address.