Trafficked workers forced to oversee 'professional' drugs farm at old restaurant are jailed

Around 300 mature plants were discovered at the premises on Southgate last year and officers found Edison Pula and Aleksander Krashi hiding in the roof space.

Two single beds were found in the building among the 'professional' factory set up.

The Albanians later told officers they had been illegally trafficked over the UK by a drugs gang with the promise of jobs in construction, but found themselves forced to work at the cannabis factory and received no money, only food, Leeds Crown Court heard this week.

Prosecutor Carmel Pearson said that officers had been called to Southgate on December 14 last year after worried members of the public thought the heat from the former restaurant was a fire.

On arrival, they found four rooms over two floors filled with mature plants. They were valued at £75,000 wholesale at least, and worth much more at street level.

Both men were arrested and gave no comment during interview.

They both pleaded guilty to production of cannabis and appeared in court via video link from HMP Doncaster, where they were being held on remand.

An Albanian interpreter was required in court for the men to follow the proceedings.

Mitigating for 22-year-old Krashi, Gareth Henderson-Moore said he was brought over with the promise of a job on a building site, but was taken to the factory on Southgate.

He had tried to flee the operation twice, but was caught by the drugs gang and brought back to the address to continue working.

Mr Henderson-Moore said: "While there at the farm he was not paid money, but provided with food.

"He had no knowledge of the scale of the operation. He has a mother and 15-year-pold brother in Albania and was concerned for them if he did not do as he was told."

Richard Canning, mitigating for 20-year-old Pula, said he too was illegally shipped over to the UK and made to work, but conceded his client had a previous conviction for drugs for which he previously received an 11-month jail term.

Judge Robin Mairs handed Pula 24 months in a young offenders institute, and Krashi 18 months' jail.

He told them: "This was an extremely and extensive professional set up.

"The electricity had been bypassed in a professional manner and had all the hallmarks of a well-run factory.

"A very conservative estimate of 50 grammes per plant values the crop at £75,000 wholesale. At street level, it would have been much more.

"You were clearly sleeping at the premises and there was not much in the way of home comforts."

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