Global Courant
Four men who traveled to the UK illegally have been jailed after they were caught working on a £400,000 cannabis farm in a derelict hotel in Aboyne.
The group, all Albanian, claimed they ended up working as “gardeners” in large-scale drug cultivation to pay off debts to organized crime gangs.
According to Scottish newspaper The Press and Journal, Fabio Marku, 28, Arjel Lleshi, 24, Glevis Xhepa, 26, and Donald Xhepa, 29, have been arrested at HMP Grampian since they were discovered at the Huntly Arms Hotel on January 16 this year. .
Police confirmed that there was no human trafficking involved and that the four men chose to work on the cannabis farm of their own free will.
The illegal operation was discovered by an architect. He discovered the locks had been changed and, upon entering the property, found 520 cannabis plants growing under dozens of lights in the old ballroom. The four illegal immigrants were found by police the same morning staying in a room at the 50-bedroom hotel.
They were taken to the Kittybreester detention rooms, and were later identified as charged. In response, Glevis Xhapa told the police: “I came to work only two days ago, but I had to leave because there was no work” and “I came here only to work, nothing else.”
The other three detainees had nothing to say at the time. Both of them pleaded guilty to a single charge, distribution of narcotics.
The 520 small narcotic plants were worth between £220 and £810 each on the black market. Together they could be worth £114,400 to £421,200 at full maturity.
Patrick Brelhany, Fabio Marku’s defense lawyer, told the court his client had traveled to the UK illegally and was about €15,000 in debt when he was offered employment in Scotland. Judge Morag McLaughlin told those arrested that they all deserved the same sentence.
“I can’t imagine the circumstances under which someone would have to live to take the risk of coming to this country illegally.
But nevertheless, the law is clear – even for those working in low-level positions in enterprises such as cannabis production. The result is a prison sentence,” she said.
On January 17 of this year, the Court sentenced each of the four men to two years in prison.
Global Courantl
