An illegal immigrant found sleeping rough in Edinburgh managed a £100,000 cannabis farm in a Fife home in exchange for a roof over his head.
Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court heard drug cultivator Erik Xhaxho arrived in the UK in the back of a lorry, having left his hometown of Berat, Albania, in search of work.
The 22-year-old had been working in the construction industry in London but moved north of the border in a failed attempt to find better opportunities.
The court was told first offender Xhaxho was told by a shady individual he could have accommodation in Kirkcaldy in exchange for running a sizeable drug factory.
Police raided the detached home in cul-de-sac Aytoun Avenue in January and seized cannabis worth up to £102,000.
HMP Perth inmate Xhaxho was jailed and will be deported when his sentence concludes.
Suspicious property
Fiscal depute Christine Allan told the court no grounds were found to conclude unemployed Xhaxho, of no fixed abode, was a victim of modern slavery.
She said: “The locus of the offence is 5 Aytoun Avenue in Kirkcaldy.
“It is a four bedroom detached property with a single garage and driveway.”
Ms Allan explained the ground floor had a kitchen, sitting room, dining room and utility room, while upstairs there were bedrooms, a bathroom and access to the loft.
The property had been vacant since November 2023 and neighbours reported its curtains and blinds to be perpetually closed.
Neighbours described cars arriving sporadically and then vans appearing, which backed up close to the address, obscuring what was coming in and out.
“When there was snow and ice, all the roofs were frozen in the area except the locus,” Ms Allan continued.
Morning raid
Police were granted a search warrant five days before Christmas and executed it at 9am on January 11.
“Entrance to the locus was granted by force,” Ms Allan said.
“Upon entering, the accused was traced in the rear dining room area on the ground floor.
“That had been converted to a living space with a bed.”
Beside the bed were items required to run a cannabis cultivation.
A stack of flatpack cardboard boxes were also found for the shipment of drugs.
“It became apparent very clearly there was a cannabis cultivation, with growing equipment within boxes and bags on the ground floor.
“There was a clear smell of cannabis.”
Police moved upstairs through a false door and found tents with plants at various stages of growth in multiple grow areas.
Fans, heat lamps, thermometers, pliers, scissors and other growing equipment was also seized.
More plants were found in the attic.
Police valued the haul to be worth between £34,000 and £102,000, depending on the size of deals in which it was sold.
Better life bid failed
Appearing from custody and aided by an interpreter, Xhaxho admitted producing the Class B drug between December 28 2023 and January 11 2024.
His solicitor Calum Harris said: “He’s been remanded in custody now for 74 days.
“He’s not here legally.
“There’s no other reasonable way to deal with this case other than a custodial sentence, I would submit.
“He’s actually been in the UK since early 2023.
“He travelled from Albania in a lorry in a hope to gain a better job and provide a better life for himself.
“It’s not uncommon for people in Albania, particularly Berat where he’s from, to do so.
“His father works in construction in Greece and the construction trade is what he intended to enter when he entered London.
“He worked in various construction jobs in London until approximately two months before he was apprehended on this case, at which point he was made aware there might be better working opportunities in Scotland, and therefore travelled to Edinburgh.
“When he arrived in Edinburgh, there wasn’t a huge amount for him and he was sleeping on the streets for a couple of weeks.
“He was approached and offered accommodation in Fife, which given his current predicament, seemed to be the best option for him at the time.”
Deportation to follow
Mr Harris continued: “All he really is is a young 22-year-old man who has come to the United Kingdom in search of a better life for himself.
“He has a cousin who is here legally.
“Immigration services were aware when he was remanded.
“He will be taken back to Albania. He has no issues with that.
“There’s no previous convictions in the UK. He tells me that he’s never been in trouble with the police in Albania before.”
‘Significant operation’
Sheriff Robert More jailed Xhaxho for 10 months, backdated to January 12 when he was first remanded.
He also granted forfeiture of the cultivation equipment.
The sheriff said: “As for the disposal of your case, I consider that no appropriate sentence other than one of imprisonment can properly mark the offence to which you have pleaded guilty.
“The value of cannabis plants found within the crime scene, with the low range being £34,000, is significant but represents the value which the cannabis would have secured had it been bought or sold on the open drug market.
“You have not pleaded guilty to a charge of drug trafficking, however.
“Nevertheless, the value can’t be overlooked altogether, as it plainly reflects a significant operation which you were a part of.”
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