Fifteen men have been sentenced today, Wednesday 17 December, after officers found a cannabis farm inside a warehouse in Liverpool city centre.

Officers were on patrol on the evening of Saturday 4 October, when they noticed a man acting suspiciously and trying to evade being noticed on Kitchen Street.

They searched the man and although no drugs were found, there was an overwhelming smell of cannabis emanating from him.

Following enquiries officers located a cannabis farm in a nearby warehouse with more than 650 plants growing in five separate growing rooms. The majority of them were in a mature stage of growth ready to be harvested.

Officers arrested 21 men at the scene, and they were charged with being concerned in production of a controlled Class B drug (cannabis).

At an earlier court hearing the following men pleaded guilty to the charge and were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court today, Wednesday 17 December::

Indrit Barhani, 37 years, of no fixed address, was sentenced to two years and two months imprisonment. This includes six months for breaching a deportation order
Marius Bregova, 32 years, of Boswell Street, Middlesbrough was sentenced to three years imprisonment. This includes a sentence for an unrelated drug supply matter
Kristian Gega, 31 years, of Whitelaw Road, Southampton was given one year and eight months imprisonment
Kel Koni, 39 years, of Surrey Street, Middlesbrough was sentenced two years and six months imprisonment. This includes six months for breaching a deportation order
Leonard Nakja, 22 years, of Sincil Court, Lincoln was jailed for one year and eight months imprisonment
Martin Ndoj, 27 years, of Rope Street, London was given two years and three months imprisonment
Nikoll Nika, 29 years, of Bush Street, Middlesborough was jailed for one year and one month imprisonment
Preng Prenga, 40 years, of St Peters Road, Birmingham was sentenced to one year and eight months imprisonment
Ali Serjanaj, 23 years, of Crescent Road in Middlesborough was sentenced to two years and three months imprisonment
Agunstin Shahini, 35 years, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 2 years and 3 months imprisonment
Izmir Shira, 24 years, of no fixed address, was sentenced to one year and eight months imprisonment
Ervis Shira, 28 years, of no fixed address, was given one year and eight months imprisonment
Klevist Tafa, 27 years, of no fixed address was jailed for one year and 10 months imprisonment
Agunstin Tasha, 37 years, of no fixed address, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years imprisonment. This includes six months for breaching a deportation order
Rigers Giyla, 27 years, of no fixed address was given jailed for two years and three months imprisonment

All are subject to deportation upon the completion of their prison sentences.

Constable Tom Stretton, who led the investigation, said: “This was a lengthy and complex investigation where we charged 21 men, and this case shows the scale and organisation that was involved to produce and supply drugs on Merseyside.

“This also highlights that it was part of a sophisticated crime group, and our investigation is ongoing  as we will seek to bring those higher up the chain to justice.”

Chief Inspector Steve Robinson, from Liverpool Targeted Policing, added: “This was a sophisticated operation by an organised crime group and our investigation in connection with this criminality continues.

“In this instance, we have disrupted a chain of supply and taken cannabis worth several hundred thousand pounds off the streets and further afield, preventing them from damaging communities.

“In addition, those involved in the cannabis farm had illegally abstracted electricity which posed a real danger to other properties in the vicinity and put people’s lives in danger by tinkering with the wiring and overloading plugs.

“Organised crime is hugely damaging to our communities, which often involves intimidation, violence and creating fear and it is these criminals who run County Lines.

“Criminals involved in organised crime have no thought for anyone other than themselves, and their criminal intent and greed.”

Anyone with information on suspected drug production or criminal activity in their community can contact Merseyside Police social media desk via X @MerPolCC or on Facebook