Man tended cannabis farm to repay £19k debt to enter UK
AN Albanian national who was smuggled into Wales was made to look after a lucrative cannabis farm on his arrival, a court has heard.
Swansea Crown Court heard how Adion Ago was brought to Wales on April 1 of this year with the cost of his transportation being £19,000. He was promised that he would be able to repay that through his income in the construction trade but when he arrived he found things were very different.
A statement read out to the court on behalf of Ago heard: “I’m an Albanian national and I came to the UK on April 1, 2021. I was promised work in the construction industry. The cost of being transported to the UK was £19,000 which I was to repay from income in construction work.
“When I arrived in the UK I was told there was no work for me in construction. I was taken to a property and I was told to look after cannabis plants to pay back the £19,000. I felt I had no choice as I had to pay back the £19,000 and I had no money.
“My role was to feed and water the cannabis plants and I was a gardener. I was given a basic weekly living expenses of £50 to £60 and lived and slept at the property. I did not receive any money from the sale or supply of cannabis and I did not sell or supply cannabis.”
The property Ago referred to was in Cwmamman Road in Garnant. On August 1 police officers searched the property and Ago, the only person inside, ran outside through the rear door on their arrival. He was later apprehended and arrested.
Within the property officers found four rooms set up to grow cannabis with 133 plants in total and each growing at different stages with equipment set up such as sheeting and hydroponic lighting.
Prosecutor Sophie Hill explained that if the cannabis plants were to produce 84g of drugs per plant the estimated street value would be £112,000. Ago, of no fixed abode, appeared at Swansea Crown Court via prison video link with the help of a translator for sentencing having been convicted of being concerned in the production of cannabis.
During police interview the 20-year-old explained to officers how he had been “smuggled into the UK” from Albania in the back of a lorry and that he had been offered work in the construction industry in order to repay debts.
He explained that after the plants grew sufficiently people would attend the property and take them away. He explained how he bought a book from the market to understand how to tend to the cannabis.
Ago, who has no previous convictions on his record, refused to provide a pin for his mobile phone and did not share information on who was involved in bringing him to the UK or setting up the house he was located in.
Mitigating, Matthew Murphy said: “He was in this situation through pressure, cohesion, and exploitation. This individual was brought into the UK by a gang and he said if he did not cooperate they told him they would harm him and his family.
“He is having a difficult time whilst in custody on remand pending these proceedings. Not only is language a barrier, creating day-to-day difficulties for him, he has also been assaulted whilst in custody.”
Judge Catherine Richards sentenced Ago to 20 months detention in a young offenders’ institution but warned him that he may be liable for deportation which may come into force during that time.