Illegal immigrant jailed after acting as gardener of 70 cannabis plants in Northampton property

An Albanian national who came into the UK illegally has been jailed after he acted as a gardener of 70 cannabis plants in a Northampton house.

Police executed a search warrant on a property in Cowper Street on June 8, where they found 22 cannabis plants in the cellar, 10 in the lounge, 56 in the back bedroom and 38 in the front bedroom. Officers also seized 16 large bags of cannabis and three phones.

Alfred Verri, aged 21, was the only person in the property at the time of the search - Northampton Crown Court heard on Friday, July 14. The defendant tried to escape when police entered the property but he was quickly apprehended.

The court heard that Verri, of no fixed abode, has no previous convictions in the UK but there have been no checks on his criminal record in Albania.

Holly Kilbey, prosecuting, said: “Having been in the property for two months, he would have had an awareness of the scale of the operation.”

Daniel Green, in mitigation, told the court that Verri came to the UK illegally around a year ago in the back of a lorry. It was planned for him to be at the Cowper Street property for two and a half months, watering the cannabis plants and turning the lights on and off every day.

Mr Green told the court that Verri did this because he had debts to pay back to those who smuggled him into the country. The defendant, however, does not have a full understanding of those involved as he only knows nicknames, the court heard.

Her Honour Judge Lucking KC, sentencing, said: “You came to this country illegally and you sought to work in an illegal trade. You knew what you were doing was wrong.”

She continued: “You must have known that what you were doing was a commercial operation but I accept that there are also come features of a lesser role.”

Verri, after pleading guilty to producing Class B drugs, was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment. After he serves his sentence, he will be subject to whatever action the Home Office considers appropriate.