Men found in Pontypool café with cannabis plants worth £197k

Arjold Xhaerraj, 22, and Renato Metkaj, 33, were tending to the large crop at the Crown Buildings on George Street in Pontypool town centre.

Prosecutor Jac Brown told Cardiff Crown Court: “The police received a phone call from a member of public stating that there was cannabis cultivation at an old derelict café.

“They said there was an overwhelming smell of cannabis emanating from the address and it was also reported that the smell had been getting worse.”

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Officers arrested Albanians Xhaerraj and Metkaj at the cannabis factory on March 25.

Arjold Xhaerraj

“A total of 388 cannabis plants were located throughout eight different rooms,” Mr Brown said.

“The set-up was described as extremely sophisticated and having taken over the entire property.

“When Mr Metkaj was interviewed he went on to explain he had been forced to work to pay off a debt to the people who had helped him come to the UK in a lorry.

Renato Metkaj

“He said he had been in the country for around 10 weeks.”

Xhaerraj provided a no comment interview.

The defendants, of no fixed abode, both pleaded guilty to producing cannabis.

Neither had any previous convictions.

Hilary Roberts for Metkaj said: “His plan was to come to the UK to send money back to his family.

“The defendant says that work in Albania is scarce “The welfare of his family brought him here but he had no idea that he would be involved in the growing of cannabis.

“He's desperate to go back to his own country and get on with his life there.”

Harry Baker representing Xhaerraj said his client’s story echoed that of his co-defendant.

Judge Christopher Vosper KC jailed the defendants for 32 weeks.

He told them they would serve half of that term in custody and that the time they have spent on remand would count towards their sentence.