Two jailed after Instagram catfish leads man to become cannabis farmer in Sheffield factory worth £1m

Two men who had hoped to seek asylum in the UK have been jailed after they were found assisting in an 'industrial' cannabis set-up inside a factory in Sheffield, a court has been told.

Behari Damiano, aged 25, and Guri Eneo, aged 27, were found living inside a factory on Collwall Street, in Darnall, after police cut through the shutters at the front of the warehouse on the morning of December 5, 2023.

Prosecutor Stephanie Hollis told Sheffield Crown Court on February 20 that the two defendants had attempted to run before they were arrested by officers at the scene. A total of £475 was found on each of them, and three mobile phones. 

Ms Hollis told how a "very large" cannabis set-up was found by officers within the warehouse. A total of 600 plants were contained within the premises, with some measuring up to 91cm in height.

The plants were estimated to be worth between £252,000 and £350,000, and Ms Hollis added it was "clearly intended for supply". There were also evidence of previous crops.

The set-up was described as "sophisticated" by the prosecution. The electricity had been bypassed, monitors were found inside the premises connected to CCTV outside, there was a filtration system and "high intensity" lighting to aid crop growth.

Ms Hollis also said that a room had been converted into a bedroom with three beds. There were bags of shopping waiting to be unpacked, a cooking area, and clothes were drying.

Ian West, defending Damiano, said his client had fled Albania "for his own safety" after incurring €50,000 of debt for medical treatment for his sick family. 

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After arriving in the UK in the back of a lorry, Damiano had began a fake relationship with a girl on Instagram. But Mr West said it was only when Damiano met her that he realised he had been snared, and he was "kidnapped" and taken to Sheffield six days prior to his arrest. 

Mr West described the living conditions inside the factory as "grim" and "squalid". But Damiano felt that he could not leave "due to the fear of consequences". 

Defending Eneo, Mr Tim Gaubert said that his client had come to the UK from Albania on a boat, incurring debt to get here. Eneo had initially worked in the south east of England before arriving in Sheffield to pay off some debt.  He had made a claim for asylum in the UK which was still pending.

Mr Gaubert said: "He was a gardener, feeding and watering plants. He was told what to do."

Judge Reed said: "Each of you agreed to grow cannabis. The intention was to repeat each crop. There was an area prepared for new growth in the future, and there were 600 plants which were being bred for harvest worth a vast amount of money - probably well over £1. 

"I am sure neither of you were forced to work there. Your choice to work there may have been a choice but I am satisfied that you chose to do it. When you took money from unofficial sources you must have known what you were getting involved in. 

"What was found at the factory showed you were free to come and go. You knew the scale of what was going on as you were attending to the 600 plants."

He concluded: "You are in the country illegally, and you are not of good character."

Judge Reed jailed Damiano, of no fixed address, and Eneo, of 15 Lathcoates Crescent, Chelmsford, Essex, for three years and four months each, and ordered all items taken by the police at the property to be forfeited and destroyed.