Pair awaiting sentence after drugs admission

Two men have admitted running a massive cannabis farm in West Lothian following a police operation which recovered drugs with a huge street value.

Jenishi Kenan and Igli Duka, both understood to be of Albanian origin, pleaded guilty to producing the controlled Class B drug in an industrial unit.

Prosecutors said that in Kenan’s case it would be proved that the offence was aggravated by a connection with serious organised crime.

Police Scotland said officers seized a large quantity of cannabis plants, with an estimated street value of between £500,000 and £600,000 during a raid at a former garage at 8 Muir Place, in Houstoun Industrial Estate, Livingston on September 21, 2023.

A couple of hours earlier, detectives had seized cannabis with an estimated street value between £80,000 and £250,000 after executing a search warrant at premises at Albion Industrial Estate in Glasgow.

A 33-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with the West of

Scotland drugs offences and later appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

Kenan, 25, and Duka, 24, appeared separately before Sheriff Kevin McCarron at Livingston Sheriff Court last Friday via video links from Addiewell Prison.

Both tendered guilty pleas to the indictments by way of Section 76 letter and depute fiscal Neil Martin formally moved for sentence.

Sheriff McCarron called for background reports and deferred sentence on both men until today (Thursday). Bail was refused and both accused were remanded in custody until then.

Despite the drugs raids being on the same morning, Detective Inspector Alan Ferguson said the two incidents were not linked.

He added:“They are significant recoveries, and they underline our commitment to the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and the country’s Serious Organised Crime Strategy.

“We will continue to use every tool and tactic at our disposal to prevent the sale and distribution of illegal drugs in our local communities.”