An Albanian man who entered the UK illegally on two separate occasions has been jailed after he was found at a cannabis farm worth thousands.
Endrit Neza tended to around 300 cannabis plants - which had a potential value of between £28,000 to £120,000 - at an address in Newcastle. The 30-year-old, who returned to England after being deported in 2017, was arrested after police raided a property on Malvain Avenue on August 24 this year and found the cannabis farm.
Neza, of no fixed address, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday to be sentenced for production of cannabis. He had pleaded guilty to the charge and required an interpreter throughout proceedings.
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Neil Pallister, prosecuting, said police executed a warrant at the semi-detached property and found a cannabis farm set out over three floors. He said: "Essentially, the property had been given over to growing cannabis. The dining room on the ground floor, the bedrooms on the first floor and the loft had all been boarded out. The kitchen and living room were the only habitable rooms, and it appears the living room was where the defendant was sleeping. The electricity supply had also been bypassed."
The court heard that the property had a "professional set up" with six growing areas and about 300 plants in total. Mr Pallister said there was a potential yield of between eight and 24kg, with a potential value of between £28,000 and £120,000.
He added: "The defendant has no previous convictions in the UK and first entered illegally in 2016. He was deported in 2017 and then returned again illegally. His financial gain was likely to be minimal to those who actually set up the farm. He would have benefitted to a modest degree."
Sophia Allinson, defending, told the court Neza came to the UK out "dire financial necessity", saying: "He didn't intend to commit criminal activity like this. His understanding was that he was to be working on construction sites and car washes. After doing this, he was selected and told he would be coming to a grow house. When he refused several times, more senior members of a gang were able to provide him with his brother's home address in Albania, which was information they should not have been privy to."
She added: "It was out of fear for his brother and family that he travelled from Luton to Newcastle. Of the £19,000 traffickers say he owed them, he has paid a £7,000 balance. He is under no doubt that the £12,000 outstanding will be pursued. However, the reality is that immigration authorities are aware and he is going to be deported in due course."
Sentencing Neza, Judge Stephen Earl jailed him for eight months.
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