Second man admits role in 'large-scale' cannabis cultivation in Hawick
Last updated 12th Aug 2024
A second man has appeared in court in connection with a large-scale cannabis cultivation unearthed at a former hotel in Hawick.
Police found Albanian national Almir Cahani hiding in an attic after using bolt cutters to gain access to the building.
As previously reported by Greatest Hits Radio, 77kg of the Class B drug - worth £771,000 - was seized during the raid on the former Buccleuch Hotel in Trinity Street, along with 410 plants which had not yet fully matured.
At Jedburgh Sheriff Court today (Monday), Cahani pled guilty to producing the Class B drug and being concerned in its supply, between September 19th and October 5th last year.
However, not guilty pleas to a breach of the Electricity Act and culpable and reckless conduct were accepted by the Crown.
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Sentence on the 31-year-old has been deferred until next month for background reports. The case will recall at Selkirk Sheriff Court on September 2nd.
Sheriff Peter Paterson warned Cahani it's "almost inevitable" the charges will result in a prison sentence.
Last month, we reported that his co-accused - 41-year-old Dritan Katana, also from Albania - was jailed for 28 months after admitting similar charges, and warned he faces deportation on his release.
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