Cannabis plants were discovered at an address where an Albanian man was staying after he had been threatened by a criminal gang. Around 70 plants were discovered in total and being cultivated for onward supply.
Shpetim Maloku, 45, was discovered at a house in Newport on March 26 this year and attempted to escape before he was found in a nearby garden. Upon entering the property in Cecil Sharp Road police also discovered equipment including lights and fans as well as fresh food, bedding, and clothing which suggested the house was occupied.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard Maloku was arrested and interviewed. He told police he had been in the UK for 18 months on a travel visa. Upon travelling to Luton he began working in a car wash where he was approached by a group of Albanian men.
