Illegal immigrant jailed for growing £250,000 of cannabis

A man who was detected growing £250,000 worth of cannabis plants at a house in Sheffield, has been jailed for 20 months and will face deportation upon his release.

24-year-old Medin Isollari was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court after pleading guilty to cultivating 330 plants in various stages of growth.

The court heard that Isollari was found hiding in the rented, three-bedroom house at Holme Lane, Hillsborough, when police arrived on Friday 28 October.

He claimed to have taken a job as an outdoor gardener but officers found 44 high-powered lights and fans that formed part of a sophisticated set-up.

Rooms and the loft space at the Hillsborough address were lined with plastic sheeting and the windows had been covered in an attempt to avoid detection.

PC Dermot Pakenham, part of the South Yorkshire Police team that brought Isollari to justice, said: “This man was running a professional, organised cannabis factory and was cultivating plants with a street value of £250,000.

Isollari, who was found to be an illegal immigrant, will face deportation to Albania after serving his sentence.