Lightbulb moment led police to discovery of cannabis worth £50,000 at house in Gledhow

A court heard 5kg of the class B drug was recovered when they searched a house on Roper Avenue, Gledhow, Leeds.

Ervis Koldashi was jailed for nine months after he pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis with intent to supply over the incident on March 10 this year.

Leeds Crown Court heard West Yorkshire Police officers stopped Koldashi's brother as he drove a Ford Fiesta on the A64 in Leeds.

The officers searched the car and found more than lightbulbs in the boot.

Ayman Khokhar, prosecuting, said the bulbs were commonly used in heat lamps used to grow cannabis.

The defendant's brother was also in possession of £360 and was arrested on suspicion of money laundering and producing cannabis.

Later that day more officers went to the house on Roper Avenue where the brothers lived together.

Koldashi jumped up from a sofa when the officers entered the property.

They asked the defendant if there were drugs in the house and he pointed them to an upstairs room.

Five vacuum packed bags each containing 1kg of cannabis were seized.

Mr Khokhar said a police expert estimated that the drugs would have a wholesale value of between £17,000 and £25,000 but could be worth around £50,000 if sold on the streets.

Koldashi was arrested but refused to comment during an interview.

He pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

Kara Frith, mitigating, said Koldashi pleaded guilty to the offence at an early stage.

Ms Frith said: "He doesn't want to disclose anything that may implicate anyone else."

Mr Frith said Koldashi was well educated and came to the UK from Albania in 2017.

He worked in restaurants and in the construction industry but then struggled to find work.

Mr Frith said: "A lack of income led to temptation and he made the decision to get involved."

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said: "You are 28 and have never been in trouble before.

"But when times were hard you decided, as an intelligent man, that you would involve yourself in serious crime.

"It was at a level that did not see you as a gardener but part of the distribution hub."