Bedworth cannabis farmers jailed for seven months

Police seized plants with a street value of nearly £170,000.

Author: Ben CartwrightPublished 20th Sep 2023

Two men have been jailed for 30 weeks after police discovered a cannabis farm at a property in Bedworth.

On 14 September, Beqir Kola, 22, and Avel Dani, 21, were sentenced to 30 weeks imprisonment for production of cannabis and abstracting electricity.

Kola and Dani, both of no fixed abode, were arrested during a warrant carried out on Park Road in Bedworth on 18 July, during which 300 plants were seized, with an estimated street value of £169,530.

The house had growing equipment and plants spread across all three floors. A sophisticated set-up of fans and ventilation units greatly reduced the smell of the property.

A trapdoor had been installed across the staircase to the first floor, necessitating an entrance through a first-floor window.

Electricity for the house had been bypassed, with the power company having to excavate part of the road in order to make the property safe again.

On the first floor, a living space was also found which included two beds and a small cooking area.

Kola and Dani were discovered hiding in a crawl space in the eaves of the house, and subsequently arrested.

Sergeant Ryan Price of Nuneaton and Bedworth Safer Neighbourhood Team said “Underneath these plants is an intricate and exploitative network eating away at our communities.

“The gangs that operate these grows use violence to get what they want and intimidation to keep their victims in line. They use the proceeds from these farms to perpetuate this violence and intimidation.

“Taking action is only possible with your help – if you think there’s criminal activity taking place in your community, let us know.”

Hear all the latest news from across the West Midlands on the hour, every hour, on 103.1 and 97.2FM (Wolverhampton, Black Country and Shropshire), 96.4FM (Birmingham), 97 and 102.9FM (Coventry and Warwickshire), 97.6FM, 102.8FM and 96.7FM (Herefordshire and Worcestershire), DAB, at freeradio.co.uk, and on the Free Radio app.