Police officer turned 'cannabis gardener' jailed

A former police officer from Albania has been jailed for growing hundreds of cannabis plants in an industrial unit in West Lothian.

Igli Duka, 24, was arrested after police raided a former garage building in Houston Industrial Estate, in Livingston, last year.

He claimed a notorious gangster he had previously arrested in his home country had blackmailed him into being the “gardener” for the cannabis farm.

Duka said the gangster had threatened his family once he was out of police custody.

Duka’s lawyer Andy Aitken claimed the “high-ranking” gang member had bribed his way out of custody.

The advocate told Livingston Sheriff Court the gang member then told the accused and his family that he held them responsible for the £50,000 ($62,000) he had paid for his freedom.

Mr Aitken said Duka had escaped to the UK in fear for his safety and found work on a building site in Birmingham.

His family fled to Greece, but his father was forced to return to Albania due to health problems.

But he claimed the gang caught up with his father and forced him to reveal Duka’s whereabouts.

Duka was given the choice of tending the cannabis farm or facing severe repercussions for his family in Albania, Mr Aitken told the court.

He said: “His situation is accepted by the Crown but it doesn’t amount to a defence of coercion.

"He had the opportunity on numerous occasions to go to the police but he didn't.

“His view was that police in the UK wouldn’t be able to assist with the safety of his family in Albania."

Mr Aitken added: “He was not involved in the set-up of this operation, he wasn’t involved in any plans for ongoing distribution and, most importantly, he made no money or any gain in relation to his involvement in this crime.”

Mandy Jones, prosecuting, told how police who were sent to the factory unit noticed a strong smell of cannabis and heard a loud mechanical humming coming from inside.

The officer found hundreds of fully-grown marijuana plants being cultivated over two floors.

A police dog handler searching the building was led towards the back door where Duka was found hiding and he was arrested.

Duka, a prisoner at HMP Addiewell, pleaded guilty to producing the Class B drug.

Sheriff Peter Hammond highlighted that Duka had entered the UK illegally and remarked that, as the Home Office were aware of his situation, he faced being deported.

During the sentencing, he told the accused: “This is a serious offence of producing a controlled drug, in this case cannabis.

“It’s quite clear this was a large, organised, commercial operation and that you were a small cog.

“Nevertheless, those in charge of the production of illegal drugs rely on people such as you to grow their valuable and illegal crop.”

He sentenced Duka to two years in prison backdated to 22 September 2023 when he was first remanded in custody.