Man jailed for growing cannabis worth up to £170,000 in Hartlepool house

Artan Neli, who entered the UK in a lorry three years ago from Albania, was found tending over 200 plants in a three-floor house where he lived in Grange Road, Hartlepool.

Police had to cut a hole in the front door when they raided the address on April 20 due to it being barricaded.

Deborah Smithies, prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court, said: “The front door had been barricaded. The police forced entry.

"In seven of the rooms there were a total of 203 cannabis plants and also equipment for the efficient growing of cannabis.”

There was evidence that dozens of the plans had been harvested, she added.

Ms Smithies said it was estimated the plants could have produced between 5.5kg and 17kg of the drug.

Based on a street value of £10 per gram, the operation was worth between £56,000 and £170,000 she said.

Neli, 34, who had a key to the house, was found hiding beneath insulation and rubbish in a loft space.

He later pleaded guilty to production of a class B drug.

The court was told he expected to be paid £10,000 when the plants were all harvested.

He said he had been working at the house for a month after being brought to Hartlepool from a London car wash.

Jonathan Harley, defending, said in mitigation that Neli had an outstanding £20,000 debt for being brought to the UK and was fearful for the safety of his wife and two children.

Mr Harley said: “He came to the UK in order to work and try to provide a better existence for his family back in Albania.”

He added there was a degree of exploitation of Neli saying: “His role was essentially that of a gardener tending to the crop.”

The court heard he faces deportation by the Home Office but has applied for asylum.

Jailing him for 30 months, Recorder David Gordon said: “This was a cannabis growing operation capable of producing significant quantities for commercial use.”

Recorder Gordon ordered all the plants and equipment to be forfeited and destroyed.

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