Yahoo News Gang behind large-scale cannabis farm hidden in a Leeds care home named and shamed
![[Left from the top] Erijon Gjoka, Alitor Deda, Andi Teta, [Two bottom row] Agostin Marku and Edison Markeci, and [middle] Ali Qerfozi have all been jailed](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/I_EgHndlQeSj4Vf83cpHZg--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyNDI7aD04MjY-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/leeds_live_917/8cc5c2b0ba8b508e68c21eb96cd09e69)
Six men who kept and hid a cannabis farm inside a derelict Leeds care home have been jailed.
The former Moorfield House in Fieldhouse walk, Moortown, was discovered to be the home of the vast cannabis farm on December 4 last year. Officers discovered 811 plants capable of producing 44kgs of the Class B drug - which would yield an estimated street value of up to £446,000.
Equipment worth up to £45,000, including high-powered lamps, fans and timers were found alongside baseball bats and machetes. Six men were arrested at the scene and later charged with production of cannabis, which they went on to plead guilty to.
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At Leeds Crown Court on Thursday, Alitor Deda, 30, Andi Teta, 33, and Ali Qerfozi, 42, were each jailed for two years, Erijon Gjoka, 21, was given 18 months; and Edison Markeci, 21, and Agostin Marku, 36, each received 16-month jail terms.
Sergeant Simon Green, of the Leeds North West Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This was a large-scale cannabis farm which was clearly being run as part of an organised criminal enterprise. Our operation has stopped nearly half a million pounds worth of the drug reaching the streets, where this illegal trade fuels associated crime and antisocial behaviour.
“We will be continuing to work closely with our partner agencies to target and disrupt this type of organised criminality to keep our communities safe.
“We hope this successful outcome will provide some reassurance to the community, and we encourage anyone who suspects that any residential or commercial property is being used to grow cannabis to contact us so we can take action.”
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