Two men have admitted operating cannabis farms producing drugs potentially worth more than £500,000 in neighbouring vacant shops in Arbroath’s High Street.
Demirel Buruti, 24, and Petrit Shtyme, 25, appeared in the dock separately last week to admit producing cannabis in the adjoining properties.
Buruti admitted growing the Class B drug in the former Happit store – shut for around a decade – at 150-152 High Street.
Shtyme ran a cultivation in the former bridal store next door at number 154.
The Albanian duo’s operations were busted when police forced entry on the morning of September 26 last year.
Both first offenders are currently in Perth Prison and will remain behind bars while reports are prepared ahead of sentencing on July 1.
Arbroath High Street cannabis farms
Police obtained a warrant and raided the former Happit premises at 8am, forcing entry through the front door.
Fiscal depute Christine Allan told Dundee Sheriff Court: “Weeks prior, police received information regarding a strong smell of cannabis emanating from the locus.”
They found a seemingly newly-built plasterboard wall, partitioning the former shop floor.
They punched through the false wall and found a large number of cannabis plants.
They had to force their way through a false door to get upstairs, where they were met with another false door.
Forcing this open revealed a large growing area, with 120 plants and living quarters.
At 9.15am, police gained entry through a back door and found another door reinforced with metal sheeting.
Beyond this were stairs with another door at the top, which had to be forced.
Behind that was another growing area with between 70 and 80 fully grown plants and between 80 and 90 more in a neighbouring room.
Fleeing man captured
Just after 11.30, Buruti was traced by police, hiding against bags of rubbish.
Around half an hour later, police were passed the description of a man fleeing from the empty unit next door and they quickly caught Shtyme.
Police then gained entry to 154 High Street, where they found another growing area spread over three floors and the attic space.
There were also living and kitchen areas.
Police valued the mature plants at being worth £200 to £750 each, totalling between £24,000 and £90,000.
Junior or budless plants had no intrinsic value but police said they had the potential to produce between £125,000 and £469,000 of cannabis.
Returning to Albania
Shtyme’s solicitor Nick Whelan said: “He accepts a prison sentence is inevitable.
“The Home Office were aware when he appeared from custody.
“His presence is known to immigration.
“He has no intention of applying for a visa.”
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