Three Albanian men admit roles in '£2.3m cannabis farms' unearthed in centre of Galashiels
Two Albanian men have today (Monday) admitted their involvement in a "ONE MILLION POUND" cannabis cultivation unearthed in empty retail units in the centre of Galashiels.
Thirty-six-year-old Shpetim Halil, and Besim Velija, who’s 63, were arrested after police swooped on the former Woolworths store in Channel Street in March.
Selkirk Sheriff Court heard more than 1,300 plants, at various stages of growth, were seized in the raid.
The total value of the haul is estimated between £456,960 and £1,142,400.
Both men pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug when they appeared in the dock separately this afternoon.
Sentence has been deferred until December the 30th for background reports.
But Sheriff Peter Paterson warned the pair a custodial sentence is likely.
READ MORE: Man jailed after 'palm print' found on packaging of cocaine seized in Galashiels
Last week, a 48-year-old man was jailed for 28 months following the discovery of another £1 million cannabis cultivation at a former bookmakers on the opposite side of the street, on the same day.
At the time, the huge haul combined - valued by police at £2.3m - was believed to be the biggest ever seized in a single day in the Scottish Borders.
Petrit Musta, another Albanian national, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of the Class B drug.
Prosecutor India MacLean told Jedburgh Sheriff Court how police officers raided the former Ladbrokes store in Channel Street on March 26th and spotted Musta trying to leave the building through the fire escape.
She said 360 plants were found in one room and another 1,000 plants in a larger room.
Ms MacLean explained there had already been one crop and this was the second and described the set-up as a "sophisticated and organised operation on an industrial scale".
Musta's lawyer explained her client had been working in Belgium in 2022 and had paid £18,000 to be transported to the UK in a lorry, and arrived in Birmingham in 2023 where he was working illegally at a car wash.
He was approached and offered a job in Scotland working in construction but, when he arrived, he found it was to be a "gardener" for the cannabis cultivation.
The lawyer claimed he initially said "no", but then accepted the post as it was better conditions than working in a car wash.
Sheriff Kevin McCarron told Musta: "This is a substantial value of cannabis and a substantial custodial sentence is unavoidable."
The sentence was backdated to March 28th when Musta was first remanded in custody in connection with the matter.
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