Five men jailed after large cannabis factory find

Five men have been jailed following the discovery of a large cannabis factory in Banham.

They appeared for sentencing at Norwich Crown Court yesterday (Monday 9 October 2023) and were handed a combined total of 110 months for being concerned in the production of cannabis.

The five men listed below had all previously admitted the charges and were each sentenced to 22 months in prison.

• Aldito Drobaj, 22, of The Vale, London
• Bledar Troka, 34, of Turner Road, Edgware, London
• Emirjan Gatali, 29, of High Street, Edgware, London
• Kristjan Pergjeci, 23, of no fixed abode
• Hajden Kodra, 33, of High Street, Edgware, London

The discovery came after officers executed a drugs search warrant at a disused abattoir in Banham on 15 March 2023.

On their arrival the five suspects sprinted away from the building into surrounding fields but were tracked by police, dogs, and drones and detained.

Inside, officers found three growing rooms containing more than 450 plants, lights, fans, and feed. There was also an area with smaller plants, and a drying room.

Sgt Daniel Shelley said: “This illegal factory was a relatively sophisticated and no doubt lucrative operation and clearly the work of organised criminals.

“The combined sentence handed down yesterday shows that Norfolk is a hostile place for this type of activity and Norfolk Police continue to work to disrupt the supply of drugs in our county.”