POLICE have taken several thousand pounds of cannabis off the streets of Southend.

Officers were attending a flat in Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff, at about 6.30am today to deal with an un-related matter.

Their suspcicions were roused so they forced entry and found about 30 cannabis plants.

No one was inside the flat at the time.

This led them to a second address in Hampton Gardens, Southend, which is believed to have recently been emptied of equipment to grow the drug.

A third address in Blenheim Crescent, Leigh, was then raided and more cannabis plants were found.

A 31-year-old man from Benfleet and a 32-year-old man of no fixed address were later arrested on suspicion of cultivation of cannabis at the Hamlet Court Road address. They remained in police custody yesterday afternoon.

FOR FULL REPORT SEE TOMORROW'S ECHO.