Two men have been jailed for their joint involvement in tending two cannabis farms in West Cumbria.
Police first executed a warrant at a property on Brisco Road in Egremont on February 28. Inside officers found a cannabis farm comprising almost 200 plants.
Carlisle Crown Court heard a witness had seen two men on an earlier occasion carrying out painting work having arrived at the address in an Audi vehicle.
Police made enquiries about the Audi and, on the evening of February 28 the same two men — Luka Mecini, 22, and 26-year-old Blerim Salimusaj — were seen leaving an address two miles away at Main Street in Cleator. A second cannabis farm was found and had 142 plants.
“Given the commonalities between the associated equipment at the two addresses,” said prosecutor Brendan Burke, “police were satisfied and the defendants now agree they were involved in both operations.”
The pair’s illegal gardening activities had been carried out over a three-month period between December 1 and March 1.
In court today, Mecini, of no fixed address, and Salimusaj, of Lily Street, West Bromwich, pleaded guilty to two charges of being concerned in the production of cannabis relating to the two addresses.
The court heard both men had entered the UK illegally. Salimusaj arrived in 2018 and had racked up a £20,000 debt as a result of his trafficking passage.
Since then he had worked in verified construction jobs in a bid to try and pair off the arrears but had failed to make significant inroads.
Judge Andrew Jefferies KC ordered both men to service immediate 18-month prison sentences.
“It is not any business of mine but an 18-month prison sentence means you will be liable for deportation at some point during the sentence,” Judge Jefferies told the two men.
