FIVE men have appeared in court in connection with the discovery of cannabis with an estimated street value of more than £2.3 million in Galashiels.

Police raided two empty shop outlets in Channel Street on Tuesday morning when they discovered the large cannabis cultivations.

Both buildings, formerly occupied by Woolworths and Ladbrokes, are positioned opposite each other in the main shopping thoroughfare in the Borders town.

At Selkirk Sheriff Court on Wednesday, five men faced charges of being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug.

Sixty-three-year-old Besim Velija, Petrit Musta, who is 47, 35-year-old Shpetim Halili, Joanis Melcani, who is 26, and 20-year-old Laurent Baih made no plea during the private hearing and the case was continued for further examination.

They were all described as of no fixed abode.

The men were all remanded in custody and are due to appear in court again next week.

The huge haul is believed to be the biggest ever seized in a single day in the Borders, and is almost double the 1,400 plants, valued at £1.2 million, unearthed in a derelict mill in Selkirk last year.