Three Albanians have been sentenced to a total of almost 20 years in prison in Scotland for cultivating narcotics, specifically cannabis sativa.
Elton Skenderi, 30 years old, Gjovalin Toma, 31 years old, and Eduard Daja, 39 years old, were informed today of the decisions given at the High Court in Glasgow.
Skender was sentenced to 5 years and 3 months in prison, Toma to 6 years in prison, and Daja to 6 years and 9 months in prison, all charged with the production and sale of narcotics, while Eduard Daja is also charged with violating the deportation order from the United Kingdom in 2023.
Local authorities discovered the "barn house" erected inside the former Forum shopping centre, which was now just an abandoned building in Ivvine, Ayshire.
The drug factory was well secured and guarded with security cameras on the outside, while the door was fortified to prevent forced entry by authorities or any other party.
Also inside, there were spaces created for living and sleeping, including a bedroom, kitchen, electric heater, toilet, table and chairs.
The raid on the 'weed house' resulted in the seizure of a total of 3,058 cannabis plants spread over two floors, worth between £611,600 and £1,834,800. According to magistrates, this was one of the largest seizures in the country.
The Albanian group fell on the police's trail after continuous complaints from Scottish Power regarding energy use in the premises of the former shopping center.
During today's damages hearing, Judge Lord Mulholland told the three Albanians: 'You are involved in criminality on an industrial scale. This was not a small-scale operation. You were running a cannabis factory to flood central Scotland with cannabis.
"I have worked in the legal field for over 40 years and I have never seen a cannabis farm as extensive as the one in this case. You all came here to take advantage of the benefits that life in the UK offers and this is how you treat this country."
The judge also dismissed the allegations that the 3 Albanians were victims of human trafficking or slavery.
"You are in no way victims of human trafficking or human slavery. You are all cannabis growers, plain and simple."
One of the defendants, Gjovalin Toma, was also convicted in 2022 for drug cultivation, while he also served 14 months in prison in Leeds.
