Ryan Dobson, 54, ran the production line from his home in Dunmow, Essex.

He made the professional-looking packaged tins of cubed confectionery in his kitchen and garage.

But his home was raided by police in November last year who found 12 rubber moulds, some covered in cannabis oil, which could produce 900 cannabis sweets at a time.

Officers also found high strength skunk cannabis stalks in labelled vacuum-sealed packaging.

Dobson pleaded guilty to drugs and weapon offences and was jailed for nine years at Snaresbrook Crown Court yesterday.

The judge rejected the defendant’s claim he only sold the cannabis to cancer sufferers.

According to prosecutors the value of the sweets, along with more than 20,100 empty tins found in 28 boxes in Dobson’s garage, meant there was a potential to make 745,920 grams, with a street value of £3,729,600.

The production line was run from his kitchen and garage in Dunmow, Essex

The contents of the makeshift factory were said to have a street value of £3,729,600

Officers also found high strength skunk cannabis stalks in his home

The defendant claimed he only sold the cannabis to cancer sufferers

Detective inspector Niall McSheffrey from the Metropolitan Police said: ‘Dobson had established a lucrative drugs factory, which could have caused significant harm to children.

‘He converted boiled sweets into cannabis-laced sweets and an adult or young person would not have known the difference.

‘Dobson claimed to be selling the cannabis for medicinal purposes to help ease the pain of cancer patients.

‘However, he has no medical training and the cannabis seized was illegal. He was purely selling the cannabis products for financial gain.

‘This conviction and the seizure of these illegal products represents the Met’s commitment to tackle all safeguarding issues and bring those involved in the manufacture and supply of drugs to justice.’

Detectives also found a small amount of cocaine, two stun guns and two encrypted ‘Encrochat’ mobile phones at Dobson’s home.

Dobson, of Church Lane, pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying a Class B drug, possession with intent to supply a Class B drug, producing a Class B drug, importation of a Class B drug, possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of a weapon for the discharge of an electrical current to stun and incapacitate, and possession of a Class A drug.

It comes after police in Cambridge issued a warning this week after a number of sweets were found laced with drugs like THC and spice.