A cannabis gardener who was caught looking after two separate farms, says traffickers threatened his family in Albania, if he didn’t pay back more of the money he owed them.
Oresti Shpata, 32, claims he was “put” into two houses to farm cannabis, so he could pay off £22,000 more rapidly than his work at car washes allowed. Shpata was first caught by police in house in Lancashire, where he had been growing 148 cannabis plants, worth at least £30,000.
Teesside Crown Court has heard that Shpata answered the front door to the police who were acting on a tip-off, on March 29, 2022. The court heard that Shpata, “fled through the house, up onto the loft, before climbing onto the roof and running along neighbouring rooves. He jumped off the roof onto an outhouse. He was chased through allotments before being found in a ditch.”
Paul Abrahams, prosecuting, said that Shpata had also bypassed the electricity supply. “He told police that he had lived at the house for one month. That he had been put here to cultivate cannabis plants and he owed £22,000.”
But months later, after a spell staying in a hotel and working at car washes, Shpata was caught growing another cannabis farm in Middlesbrough. He was till under investigation by the police.
Mr Abrahams told the court that police raided the house after, “drone footage showed a large heat source coming from the property’s roof.” 104 plants were found, with a value of between £30,000 to £89,000, when sold in street deals. There was high powered lighting with reflectors; timers and ventilation set up.
Shpata said he had been “put in the house because of the debt he owed.” The court heard that the Home Office are likely to send Shpata back to Albania, under an agreement the UK reached with the Albanian government, where offences have been committed.
Shpata, of Outram Street in Middlesbrough, admitted producing cannabis. He has no previous convictions. In mitigation, Nicci Horton said that her client had come to the UK illegally “for an extortionate amount of money, to the people who arranged his transport.
“Upon his arrival, he was managing to pay back some of the money from working at car washes, but pressure was brought on him, that he wasn’t paying the debt back quick enough.
“He was placed in the house in Accrington. He was brought in a white van, to Middlesbrough. Both cannabis farms were already set up at the time of his arrival.”
Ms Horton said that, “it had been suggested” to Shpata, that “if the money wasn’t paid back quickly, something would happen to his family back in Albania.” The court heard that Shpata has applied for repatriation back to Albania.
Judge Timothy Stead told him: “You have taken part as a gardener in the cultivation of cannabis. The quantities of plants in each house was substantial. There was said to be pressure or a threat on you. This is accepted.”
Shpata was jailed for 16-months. The judge said he may be returned to Albania before he has finished his sentence.
For breaking news in your area direct to your inbox every day, go here to sign up to our free newsletter