Man jailed after West Yorkshire Police officers found cannabis farm at house in Whinmoor

Alfred Kacorpi told officers he agreed to look after the plants to pay off a £22,000 debt which he had borrowed from his family in Albania to pay for his illegal entry into the UK.

Leeds Crown Court heard police searched the property on March 24 this year and found the plants growing in the living room and bedrooms.

Kristina Goodwin, prosecuting, said the walls of the rooms were lined with plastic sheeting and were equipped with electrical transformers and lighting attached to the walls.

Seedlings were found in the airing cupboard and plant food was recovered from a storage cupboard.

Ms Goodwin said the officers who made the discovery described the operation as "sophisticated and professional".

The 34-year-old defendant was interviewed and told police he had entered the UK illegally from Belgium.

He said he had agreed to look after the plants as he needed money to pay his debt to his family.

Kacorpi, of Baildon Place, Whinmoor accepted that he knew the plants were cannabis and that what he was doing was illegal.

Jame Littlehales, mitigating, said Kacorpi has no previous convictions and pleaded guilty at an early stage.

"It had been set up specifically for that purpose. Plants were growing at various stages of development and you were trusted to be in charge.

"I am satisfied that you had some awareness of the scale of this operation."