Drug gardeners’ modern slavery claim was false

OFFICERS FIND TEXTS PROVING

PAIR WERE NOT TRAFFICKED

TWO cannabis gardeners abandoned a claim of being modern day slaves after police checked messages on their mobile phones.

The texts proved they willingly came to the UK illegally, from Albania, and were not trafficked or exploited, a court heard.

Amand Manaj, 33, and Elvis Sefa, 26, were caught during a police raid at a semi-detached house in Heyworth Road, Rowley Fields, Leicester, where 91 cannabis plants were seized, on January 4 last year.

Catherine Picardo, prosecuting, said: “Sefa ran out of the front of the property and was detained.

“Manaj was found hiding among loft insulation in the attic.

“The electricity had been tampered with and there were 43 lamps in situ, as well as eight transformers.”

Both put forward a modern day slavery defence, and asked for a Home Office referral, citing they were offered UK construction work when they were in Albania, for a fee of £15,000.

But evidence on their iPhones suggested they weren’t under pressure or being exploited. Miss Picardo said: “It’s always been the Crown’s case they were acting as gardeners.”

Cash totaling £574 was seized from one of the two defendants.

Leicester Crown Court was told the men were given bail last August, after spending seven months on remand in custody, and had not re-offended.

In mitigation, the court heard the defendants were not entitled to work because of their immigration status, but hoped to apply for leave to remain after the case was dealt with.

Sentencing, Judge Timothy Spencer QC said: “This is a familiar tale of people coming from Albania, ostensibly seeking legitimate work and finding themselves wrapped up in crime.

“You were working at a relatively low level, not in charge of the operation, and were in the house to be found by the police.

“You weren’t trafficked, you made a choice to come here and be involved in a criminal enterprise.

“But I take the view you were inveigled into this offending by others more sophisticated than you.

“I don’t know what will happen to either of you in the future – but your status won’t be helped by the fact you’ve been convicted of a serious offence.

“You’ve already served seven months in custody, the equivalent of a 14-month prison sentence, which is above the starting point for this offence.”

Manaj, of New Fields Avenue, Braunstone, and Sefa, of Cheshire Road, Aylestone, both admitted being concerned in the production of cannabis.

They were each given 10-month jail sentences, suspended for two years.

As they left the dock, Judge Spencer said: “You’re not to get involved in crime in this country again.”