A man who allowed members of an organised crime gang to establish a commercial scale cannabis factory at his property has been jailed.
Martin Evans claimed he was unaware of the size of the operation being run from his home when he appeared at Swansea Crown Court, however in renting out a part of his property, the 37-year-old was deemed to have been a ‘facilitator’ for the illegal activity.
He was arrested when Dyfed-Powys Police carried out a warrant at his home just outside Kidwelly in February. The action formed part of Operation Scotney, a forcewide CID-led operation aimed at tackling industrial sized cannabis farms.
Undercover proactive policing team officers, dog handlers, rural crime team, neighbourhood policing and prevention team and a drone pilot gained entry to Y Felin through a barbed wire fence, where they were quickly approached by 37-year-old Evans.
On explaining that they were in possession of a search warrant, Evans told officers “he’s in there”, and gestured towards the farmhouse.
A man named Fatjon Xafa was found living in a makeshift bedroom in the porch, while every other room in the house had been converted to grow cannabis. Nearly 200 mature plants were seized, along with sophisticated lighting, ventilation and feeding systems.
The street value of the plants was estimated to be up to £264,100.
While examining Evans’s phone, officers found evidence of his involvement in the cannabis grow, confirming suspicions that he was aware of the illegal activity. They discovered text messages referring to the police drone, and indicating that the heat and humidity in the grow needed to be increased to speed up the maturing process.
Both Evans and 26-year-old Xafa pleaded guilty to the production of cannabis, with Evans admitting an additional charge of being concerned in the supply of cannabis.
At court it was heard that Evans had rented out the property’s main building and was living in a mobile home just yards away from the cannabis grow. He was described by the judge as a ‘facilitator’ for the illegal activity.
Evans was jailed for 18 months, while Xafa was sentenced to 29 weeks in prison.
Dyfed-Powys Police Detective Chief Inspector Rich Lewis says: “I am in no doubt that Evans knew exactly what was going on at his home, that he had hoped the rurality of the location would allow them to go undetected, and that he would have let it continue for much longer had we not disrupted the activity.
“Throughout Operation Scotney we have carried out warrants at dozens of rented homes and buildings, however this is the first time we have come across a landlord who has been so aware that his property was being used by a criminal gang.
“It’s highly unlikely to be the last, and I urge all landlords to carry out regular checks and visits on their properties to ensure their tenants are genuine. These criminals are destroying people’s homes and livelihoods, so if you have any concerns about your own property please report them so we can investigate.”
This article is taken from Landlord Today