Albanian man jailed for running £500k cannabis grow in Kirkby Stephen

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 12:29 · Archive

Police discovered 293 cannabis plants at a property in Kirkby Stephen worth nearly £500,000 when they raided it on July 1.

Police discovered a large-scale cannabis growing operation at Market Square in Kirkby Stephen on July 1, finding 293 plants at various stages of maturity spread across several rooms. The operation was described as sophisticated. Agim Cjapi, an Albanian national aged 33, was found tending the crop and admitted a cannabis production charge. Carlisle Crown Court heard that had the seized plants been processed and sold at street value, they would have yielded £439,500. Prosecutor Tim Evans told the court that police also found evidence of previous crops at the property.

Cjapi told police he had entered the UK one year before to pay off a debt incurred for his travel. He said he had been at the Market Square property for four months and spoke of sending £200 per month back to his family to help pay for the care of his elderly and unwell father.

His defence counsel, Andrew Gurney, argued that Cjapi was essentially a gardener who had been smuggled into the UK with significant debt. Gurney told the court that Cjapi was aware of threats of violence if he did not comply with tasks directed to him. He said Cjapi had been sent to work on building sites and at car washes before being sent to Market Square.

How it is being reported

• 'Cannabis gardener' caught with drugs worth almost £500k faces jail and deportationA MAN has been charged after police officers located a large-scale cannabis grow in Kirkby Stephen yesterday worth almost half a million pounds.NW Evening Mail · 16 Oct, 11:55
• 'Cannabis gardener' caught with drugs worth almost £500k faces jail and deportationA MAN has been charged after police officers located a large-scale cannabis grow in Kirkby Stephen yesterday worth almost half a million pounds.Cumberland News · 16 Oct, 10:21
• 'Cannabis gardener' caught with drugs worth almost £500k faces jail and deportationA MAN has been charged after police officers located a large-scale cannabis grow in Kirkby Stephen yesterday worth almost half a million pounds.Westmorland Gazette · 16 Oct, 10:21

In this story: Agim Cjapi · Kirkby Stephen · Carlisle Crown Court · Albania

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