Police who busted a cannabis factory in Nailsea found a deserted shed full of cannabis. But when they deployed an eye in the sky drone they discovered three men getting high - not by drugs but by standing on the roof.
The three illegal immigrants from Albania admitted lesser roles in cultivating a crop, which experts estimate could have yielded close on £500,000 a year. They appeared at Bristol Crown Court for sentence today (Tuesday, March 7).
Each of them pleaded guilty to being concerned in the production of cannabis. They were: Bledar Bardhi, 32, of no fixed address; Keli Bicaku, 36 today, of Berkshire Gardens in Enfield and Gerald Dosku, 26, of Kettethorpe Road in Wakefield.
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Judge William Hart jailed each of them for 18 months. He told them: "I regard you as lesser role defendants in the running of a large scale, commercial cannabis factory." The judge said it was likely, unless special circumstances applied, that each man would be deported from the UK after sentence.
Neil Treharne, prosecuting, said police acting on intelligence gathered visited the unit at Coates industrial estate in December last year. When officers entered the unit they found a cannabis crop, two beds, toilet and shower and washing facilities, but no one there.
Mr Treharne said: "Police got there drone out and they saw the three defendants on the roof. It took some time for them to come down, but they did so."
The court heard some 467 cannabis plants were found in two areas lit by 156 lamps. Mr Treharne said the crop's yield was estimated at 25 kilos, and valued at between £65,000 and £196,000. He said an estimated annual yield was put in the sum of some £500,000.
Dosku, who has a previous conviction for possessing a handgun, told police he had simply delivered fuses to the site. The other two defendants, of previous good character, made no comment.
Altin Kaprada, defending Dosku, said his "very remorseful" client had a very limited role. He brought fuses to the operation on three occasions, the court heard.
Rupert Russell, defending Bicaku, said his client had a limited function, acting without influence on the direction of others. Mr Rusell said Bicaku entered the UK illegally five years ago and had been attempting to get legal status.
Ed Hollingsworth, defending Bardhi, said his client was an illegal immigrant having reached the UK by dinghy. The court heard Bardhi had borrowed 10,000 euros to get married, was offered work, and ended up at the cannabis grow as a gardener.
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