Illegal immigrant jailed for overseeing cannabis harvest at Sheffield house

Albanian Altin Lleshi, aged 23, was found by police in the garage of a property on Wellcarr Road, Woodseats, Sheffield, where police discovered 71 cannabis plants, according to a Sheffield Crown Court hearing.

Prosecuting barrister Nigel Wray told the hearing on February 1: “Entry was gained to the property and in it were found 71 small cannabis plants in the loft.”

Mr Wray also pointed out there were powerful lights above the plants and a large hole had been made in the floor of the dining room allowing access to the garage.

Police recovered boxes and bags with cannabis growing equipment including bulbs and transformer packs, according to Mr Wray, and the garage was filled with similar equipment.

Mr Wray added that electric wiring had been installed extending upwards into the loft which was insulated.

Lleshi told police he had been detained and released by immigration authorities in November, 2021, and he was approached by Albanian men in London who brought him to Sheffield and brought cannabis plants for him to tend.

The defendant claimed he did not want to look after the plants but he was threatened and felt he had to do what he was told.

Lleshi, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to producing the class B drug cannabis after the raid on January 11, this year.

Richard Adams, defending, said: “I would submit there was a degree of exploitation here. The defendant being an Albanian national being in the UK for a relatively short period of time.”

Mr Adams added that Lleshi had lost his support network and he had become reliant upon those who had recruited him.

Judge Michael Slater told Lleshi: “The house had been converted to house an extensive and sophisticated cannabis growing operation. In the loft upstairs there were 71 young cannabis plants being grown under extensive lighting and a further electricity supply had been installed to facilitate that growing operation in the loft.”

Judge Slater who sentenced Lleshi to 10 months of custody accepted the defendant had come to the UK illegally and was vulnerable but he did not accept he was under the complete control of those running the operation.