Bulwell man jailed for his part in £225,000 cannabis farm

Sami Lame, of Logan Street, and his partner Haxhi Lleshi, of no fixed abode, were arrested when they turned up with bags of fertiliser in their silver Audi to their £225,000 cannabis farm in Redhill just after police arrived to execute a warrant

Lleshi was detained in the car and Lame tried to make a getaway through the back door but was quickly caught.

At Nottingham Crown Court, Lame admitted living in the building containing the operation for three months and his candour was shared by Lleshi.

When they searched the property, officers found 69 plants in one bedroom and 80 hanging up to dry in another, while a third bedroom was empty and ready to receive plants.

Nearly 200 cannabis seedlings were found in the Audi's boot and 347 plants were recovered from the house in total.

Officers estimated a maximum yield of 22.5 kilos, which would be worth up to £225,000 if sold on the street by the gram.

Both men admitted arriving in the country illegally and said they were offered £1,300 a month to work as gardeners.

Lame said he was free to come and go as he pleased, but if he abandoned the job his family in Albania would be threatened.

Mark Knowles, mitigating, said Lleshi came to the UK three years ago in the hope of a better life and had been working in car washes and construction sites and sending the majority of what he earned to his wife and child in Albania.

"He was struggling with money during the lockdown."

Matt Hayes, mitigating, said Lame was performing a limited function under direction, his role was to water and maintain the plants.

Judge Steven Coupland told them: "This is cannabis production on a colossal scale with a potential value running into hundreds of thousands.

"But I accept the vast profits from this were not going to go into your profits."

He sentenced Lleshi to 12 months in prison and Lame to nine months.