Three men jailed for total of more than five years in connection with £2.3m cannabis farm in centre of Galashiels
Last updated 6th Jan 2025
A retired police officer from Albania has been jailed for 21 months for his involvement in a cannabis farm unearthed in the centre of Galashiels, believed to be worth more than £2.3 million.
Selkirk Sheriff Court this afternoon (Monday) heard Besim Velija, who has been in the UK since 2022, 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 loan sharks - opted to stay.
Velija previously pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of the Class B drug, after being caught in a police raid on March 26th last year.
The court heard the total value of the haul at the former bookies is estimated between £456,960 and £1,142,400, while a further 1,600 cannabis plants - believed to be worth between £455,000 and £1.3 million - were found in the former Woolworths store, on the opposite side of the road, the same day.
It's believed to be the biggest haul of drugs ever seized in a single day in the Scottish Borders.
Last month, another Albanian national, Petrit Musta - who pled guilty to the same charge - was jailed for 28 months, after being found trying to escape the former Ladbrokes store through the fire escape.
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Three other Eastern Europeans also appeared in court today in connection with the same raid.
Joanis Melcanis, who's 27, was jailed for 24 months; and Laorent Balla, who's 21, was jailed for 18 months.
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.
All the sentences were backdated to March the 27th, when they were first remanded in custody.
Meanwhile, a fifth man, who had previously admitted his involvement in the huge cannabis cultivation, was unable to be sentenced - after he refused to co-operate with a court-appointed translator.
Describing the situation as "highly unsatisfactory", Sheriff Peter Paterson warned Shpetim Halil he was doing himself no favours.
Sentence was deferred on the 36-year-old for three weeks, and he was remanded in custody meantime. The case will recall at Jedburgh Sheriff Court on January 27th.
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