Four men jailed after a huge cannabis farm is found in Newcastle

Four men behind a huge cannabis farm worth well over £1 million have been put behind bars after their criminal enterprise was uncovered by police.

Back in April 2022, after receiving intelligence police searched an address on Fenham Hall Drive in Newcastle after being made aware of suspicious activity.

Although the property was seemingly empty, officers noticed that its windows were open and a strong smell of cannabis was coming from inside.

A search of the building then yielded a well-established cannabis farm, made up of more than 3,200 plants which was worth £1,370,000 spread across three floors.

Following an investigation carried out under the banner of Operation Sentinel, four men were charged with being concerned in the production of cannabis.

At Newcastle Crown Court on Tuesday, February 21, Ilir Cela, 34, Mario Qosjas, 37, Albric Deraj, 22, and Aurel Barpeerrja, 41, all of no fixed abode, were each handed prison sentences of 28 months.

Following the conclusion of the case Detective Inspector Gary Atkinson, of Northumbria Police, said:

“This outfit was a huge operation with more than 30 growing rooms being used within the property itself.

“Not only were the defendants cultivating illegal substances worth well over £1 million, they also had no permission to be inside the building itself and caused around £100,000 in damage by bypassing the electricity supply to grow the plants.

“Thanks to the information that we received about this criminal enterprise, we were able to quickly dismantle the farm and seize the plants and equipment from the scene.

“All this type of criminality does is funnel proceeds into further crime, exploit people who are often vulnerable and not only pose a health and safety risk to those inside the farms but to the wider community living nearby.

Det Insp Atkinson added:

“We hope that this outcome serves as a serious warning.

“Anybody looking to make money from selling harmful, addictive illicit substances can expect to be pursued by our teams, have their operations dismantled and their drugs seized.

“We also hope that this latest seizure helps to reassure our communities that tackling organised crime, as part of Operation Sentinel, is one of our top priorities.”

To report suspicious activity, use the ‘Tell us Something’ page on our website.

Or alternatively you can report information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.

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