A young man from Albania who was promised work in construction in the UK was found by police working at a huge cannabis factory in Cardiff. Klornet Gjura had come to the UK "for a better life" in March 2022 but was arrested just three months later after officers discovered the factory where he was working as a "gardener".
Gjura, 23, had hoped to find a good job to pay off debts back home, but didn't receive a penny for his involvement in the illegal operation prior to his arrest. He was found in the house alongside a massive crop of cannabis - which is thought to be worth a huge six figure sum.
While he initially considered trying to escape police, he admitted his involvement and told officers following his arrest that he watered the plants at the factory, which took over multiple rooms of the property in Cathays. Get the latest news from the courts across Wales by signing up to our newsletter.
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He appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday, August 2, having previously pleaded guilty to production of cannabis at Cardiff Magistrates Court in June. James Evans, prosecuting, told the court that officers from South Wales Police had attended a property on Cathays Terrace on June 24 this year having received reports from local residents who were concerned that the production of cannabis was taking place there.
Mr Evans said that there was evidence that Gjura, who was in the property when police knocked on the door, had initially tried to escape out of a back window. However, he added that the defendant had "come to his senses" and opened the door to officers allowing them inside.
When officers entered the property, they discovered eight rooms were being used for the production of cannabis, with 158 plants in cultivation as part of the “sophisticated operation”. The yields were estimated to be between four and 12 kilograms, with an estimated value of between £16,000 and £67,0000.
Gjura was then arrested and interviewed by police, telling officers that he was an illegal immigrant to the UK and was working at the factory as a gardener, a statement accepted by the prosecution. Mr Evans added that production at the factory was on a "commercial scale, but not an industrial scale," and accepted the 23-year-old had a "lesser role" in the operation but called for a forfeiture and destruction order to be made for the plants, mobile phones and growing paraphernalia.
Defence counsel Tim Lewis told the court that while Gjura was originally from Albania, he had come to the UK from Germany on a lorry earlier this year "looking for a better quality of life and work." While he was told he would be financially rewarded, he did not receive any of his 'wages' before he was arrested.
"He had been offered construction work in the UK," he said. "But was given a role as a gardener at this cannabis factory at the property on Cathays Terrace, and he said his job was just watering the plants. He was given a set of keys to “come and go” from the property but was told he needed to stay at the property overnight.
"He was told he would receive some form of financial payment in the form of wages, which he was planning to use to pay off debts back home. However, he did not receive any money up until his arrest. He had some work in Germany but opportunities were far and wide. He has family back home in Albania and no previous convictions."
Sending Gjura to prison, Judge Bilal Siddique said that while he accepted the defendant had a "lesser role", a custodial sentence was required due to the seriousness of his offence. Passing sentence, he added that he hoped it would "act as a deterrent" to the 23-year-old and others.
“You had the good sense to plead guilty at the first opportunity, so I will give you a full one-third credit," he said. "On June 24 this year, police attended the property on Cathays Terrace and you initially tried to escape but again had the good sense to answer the door to them. You were interviewed by police and said you were an illegal immigrant and had been working at the property as a gardener.
"You were offered opportunities by Albanians in Germany to come and work in the UK in construction and accepted it. You had duties to stay at the property but had a set of keys so you could come and go. You had a lesser role but you must have had some awareness of the operation and its sophistication, and there was also an expectation from you of some financial reward."
Gjura was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment. He will serve half of this in custody before being released on licence, while the judge also approved the prosecution's call for a forfeiture and destruction order.
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