Telford cannabis 'gardener' to face sentence after £147,000 drugs factory raided by police
A drug producer will face sentence over his role at a £147,000 cannabis farm.
Haxhi Sula, aged 29, was the "gardener" at the grow at a house in Southfield, Sutton Hill, Telford, where 372 plants were discovered.
Shrewsbury Crown Court heard that police burst into the property on a drugs raid at around 9am on June 15 last year.
They found four rooms which had been converted for commercial cannabis growing, including sheeting and lighting. The electricity supply had also been by-passed.
A drugs expert inspected the find and came to the conclusion there was up to 14.7kg of cannabis that could have been prepared for sale, which would have yielded a street value of up to £147,630.
When Sula was arrested, he gave a no comment interview, other than to say he had been living in the UK for 18 months, was unemployed and was sleeping on a bed in the house.
He did not receive payment for his criminality and was involved in the enterprise as payment for people he owed money to. The court heard that Sula was free to come and go from the property as he pleased.
Sula, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to producing a controlled drug of Class B. The court heard he has no previous convictions.
Sula was due to be sentenced this week, but his Albanian interpreter had to leave the hearing early. His sentencing was adjourned to February 13. Sula remains in custody.