A landlord was stunned to discover a £100,000 drug den in one of his properties. The stunned homeowner was there to change the locks in November last year when he stumbled upon the huge cannabis farm in Hull.
He told police about his find and when officers turned up, they found two men inside, looking after and watering 73 plants. Desar Xhakolli, 28, and Astrit Baja, 26, both from Albania, were arrested for their role in the "sophisticated" drugs factory, reports Hull Live.
The pair, who have been remanded in custody since they were arrested, were this week jailed at a hearing at Hull Crown Court.
Stephen Welch, prosecuting told the court that a police patrol car was stopped by the landlord of the property in Albert Avenue, west Hull. Police then discovered the two criminals inside with the plants having an estimated total yield of 4.02kg, around 55kg of "harvestable skunk cannabis" for each plant.
Police also found two large boxes containing a harvestable 8.91kg of skunk cannabis, with a possible street value of around £89,100. Xhakolli had £400 cash and Baja had £180, with the pair pleading guilty to being "gardeners" of the produce.
Olivia McGeeney, mitigating, said that both men had no previous convictions. She noted: "Both of these defendants came to the UK in search of a better life. However, due to the circumstances they found themselves in, with limited financial income and no housing, they considered themselves with no option other than to go to the house and act as gardeners. There is no suggestion that the defendants were anything other than gardeners."
Xhakolli had said: "Why would anyone choose to do that kind of work?". He had been at the property for fewer than 10 days and Baja had been there for approximately three months. Miss McGeeney added that both were illegal immigrants from Albania, she noted: "They came in the back of lorries."
Both men had been learning to speak English while in custody on remand. Xhakolli had hopes of working as a barber and "putting the matter behind him". While Baja had also been studying English "in order to better his chance of obtaining proper work following his release".
Judge Sophie McKone told the pair: "You were both looking after and nurturing a significant amount of cannabis plants. The total value of the cannabis was well in excess of £100,000. You were both involved in the production of cannabis on a commercial scale.
"You play a very significant role because, literally, without you, these plants would die. Cannabis is not a harmless drug and you played your part, in coming to England, in supplying what is a dangerous drug to people in Hull. This was a substantial amount of cannabis."
Xhakolli and Baja were each jailed for one year as Judge McKone added: "There's no question of that period of imprisonment being suspended. It's too serious and people need to be deterred from coming to the United Kingdom to take part in this illegal trade. It's unlikely that you will be released, because you will be automatically deported."
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