Locked inside their fortified industrial unit, three thugs posed with their mountains of cannabis, arrogant enough to believe they were beyond the reaches of the law. But Indrid Hysembelli, 26, Xhoi Kasaj, 30, and Romeo Tosca, 26, are surely now haunted by these pictures, after they were used as evidence in the case that got them jailed for a total of more than eight years.
The Cannabis Farm
The trio built a full-blown cannabis farm inside a lock-up in Oldham, Greater Manchester, which was packed with £1 million worth of plants when it was raided. It was heavily secured, requiring officers to use specialist equipment to force entry, and rigged up with CCTV cameras around the building. Mains electricity had been tapped into at several points, letting the gang draw energy freely. A living space was even included with four bunkbeds, a cooker, a fridge and a TV, though police said the conditions were 'extremely poor'.
Evidence and Arrest
In one picture, one of the yobs wearing a hazmat suit crouches down next to hundreds of stacked cannabis plants. Another shows one of them sweeping a pile of cannabis buds that comes up to his waist. Police stormed the unit on Bilsley Street, and found 889 marijuana plants at various stages of growth, with an estimated street value of £986,000. Hysembelli, Kasaj and Tosca, who are all of Albanian descent, were discovered in the loft space and all arrested.
Sentencing
After a trial at Minshull Street Crown Court, Hysembelli was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison, Kasaj received two years and three months, while Tosca got two years and eight months behind bars.
Police Statement
Detective Constable Christopher Brown from the Oldham Division said: 'This was a significant and highly organised cannabis cultivation operation, producing drugs valued at almost £1 million and posing a serious risk to the local community. Drug dealing is not a victimless crime. It is closely linked to violent gang activity and the exploitation of vulnerable people - serious issues that impact communities across Greater Manchester and remain a key focus of our ongoing enforcement work. These sentences reflect the seriousness of the offence and send a clear message that those involved in the production and supply of illegal drugs will be identified, arrested and brought before the courts. We will continue to act on intelligence, execute warrants like this one and disrupt organised criminal activity wherever it operates across Greater Manchester.'
