TWO men charged in connection with a cannabis farm discovered at a former care home in Greenock have been locked up after appearing at the sheriff court this afternoon.

Trung Thanh Nguyen, 39, and Hieu Van Vo, 29 - both Vietnamese nationals - are alleged to have produced the class B drug at Sir Gabriel Wood’s Mariners' Home on Newark Street.

Nguyen is also charged with providing false identification to officers at Greenock police office in an alleged attempt conceal his true identity and evade the course of justice.

Nguyen and Van Vo appeared on petition at a private hearing at Greenock Sheriff Court, where they made no plea through defence solicitors Aidan Gallagher and Paul Cook.

Sheriff James Varney remanded both accused in custody and committed the case for further examination.

The pair were arrested during a pre-planned police operation at the site of the former Mariners’ Home yesterday.

Several police vehicles arrived at the scene at around 10:30am, with officers surrounding the main building.

Dogs and a drone were also used as part of the operation, before a team of officers led two men out in handcuffs after an apparent hour-long ‘standoff’.

One eyewitness described the operation as ‘like something out of an action film’.

Another said: “I’ve never seen so many policemen in all my life.”

The Mariners’ Home building has lain empty since closing its doors almost three years ago.

Police Scotland have not yet given an estimated street value for the find, which comes just weeks after cannabis plants worth £3.6million were uncovered in a raid in Greenock town centre.

The discovery was made at a premises on West Stewart Street following as part of an intelligence-led operation on January 21.

Nguyen and Van Vo will appear in court again within the next eight days.