Fifth Albanian man sentenced following discovery of '£2.5m cannabis farm' in Galashiels
Last updated 28th Jan 2025
A fifth Albanian man has been sentenced in connection with the discovery of a cannabis farm in the centre of Galashiels estimated to be worth almost £2.5 million.
Shpetim Halil, who's 36, was arrested after police swooped on two empty retail units in Channel Street in March last year.
Selkirk Sheriff Court previously heard around 1,300 cannabis plants, estimated to be worth between £456,960 and £1,142,400, were seized at the former Ladbrokes store; while a further 1,600 cannabis plants - believed to be worth between £455,000 and £1.3 million - were found in the former Woolworths warehouse, on the opposite side of the road, the same day.
It's believed to be the biggest haul of drugs ever seized in the Scottish Borders in a single day.
Halil, found with the smaller cultivation, pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug during a previous court hearing.
But sentence was deferred after he refused to co-operate with a court-appointed translator.
When he returned to the dock at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, Halil was jailed for 19 months.
The sentence was backdated to March 27th, when he was first remanded in custody.
Halil is the last of five men to be sentenced in connection with the raid, with the gang facing a total of more than nine years behind bars.
Last month, another Albanian, Petrit Musta - who pled guilty to the same charge - was jailed for 28 months, after being found trying to escape the former bookies through the fire escape.
Joanis Melcanis, who's 27, was jailed for 24 months; and Laorent Balla, who's 21, was jailed for 18 months, in connection with the same raid.
Both admitted being concerned in the production of cannabis, after being found in a hidden room at the former Woolies warehouse.
The court heard Ballas was offered £5,000 to feed and water the plants, and was unaware he was in Scotland until he appeared in court; while Malanis had travelled to the UK by boat in search of a better life.
Besim Velija was also jailed for 21 months. The court heard the retired police officer thought he was taking on a cleaning job before he arrived at the former Ladbrokes store in Channel Street.
But, when he realised he was being employed as a gardener to help look after more than 1,360 cannabis plants, the 64-year-old - who feared he would be in danger if he returned home, having run up "significant debts" with the bank and loan sharks - opted to stay.
A third cannabis farm was unearthed in the same street two months later.
Police found 237 plants - worth an estimated £200,000 - during the raid on the former Why Not? store last summer.
Thirty-eight-year-old Erson Shurdha, also from Albania, has pled guilty to being concerned in the production of a controlled drug between April and May last year, and is due to be sentenced at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on February 10th.
He will appear alongside two other Albanians, who admitted their roles in a £105,000 cannabis farm in Hawick in May last year.
Police found 360 plants when they raided the shuttered building on Havelock Street on May 9th last year.
Bardhok Cara, who's 23, and 22-year-old Kristjan Prendi both pled guilty to being concerned in the production of a controlled drug, by growing and maintaining it, and sentence was deferred for background reports.
They are the latest in a series of high-value seizures in recent times.
Last year, two Albanians were each jailed for 28 months following the discovery of a cannabis farm worth up to £771,000 at the former Buccleuch Hotel in Hawick.
Police found 31-year-old Almir Cahani and 41-year-old Dritan Katana hiding in an attic after using bolt cutters to gain access to the building, which had been protected by double doors.
Around 1,400 cannabis plants, valued at £1.2million, were also found in a derelict mill in Selkirk in November 2023.
Earlier that month, a cannabis cultivation believed to be worth around £500,000 was unearthed just six miles away at the former Warehouse nightclub in Overhaugh Street, Galashiels.
No-one has been arrested in connection with those raids, but police say enquiries are ongoing.
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