Police discovered a cannabis farm worth £266,000 after raiding two flats in Dundee’s West End.
Charalampos Balilai, 20, is facing jail after he admitted producing the Class-B drug from the flats in the same block on Perth Road.
Officers smashed their way into the properties following a tip-off last November and found 266 plants with an estimated value of £1,000 each.
First offender Balilai is now at risk of a prison sentence after he pled guilty at Dundee Sheriff Court to growing the drugs.
Fiscal depute Lynne Mannion explained how the electrical supply and ventilation system had been altered in the flats.
Officers also discovered heat lamps attached to the ceiling.
“Within flat one, there was a significant cannabis cultivation but no persons were within the flat,” Mrs Mannion said.
“Within flat two, an identical cultivation was found and the accused and another male were traced within the living room, which had been set-up as the sleeping area.
“It was also noted that the ventilation system appeared to join between the addresses.
“A search found significant electrical alterations had been made to both addresses.
“Within each growing room, the heat lamps were suspended from the ceiling.”
‘I was brought up in a good culture’
Officers recovered 266 plants in total from both flats, aged anywhere between two and 10 weeks.
A detective sergeant was asked to provide their opinion on the plants and calculated they would have a maximum potential street value of £266,000.
Balilai, a Greek national, initially denied all involvement following his arrest but later said he was “helping others within the flats”.
He told officers: “I started to do this job but because I am a young child and I was brought up in a good culture, I just got involved. I was going to go home.”
Balilai, currently on remand at HMYOI Polmont, pled guilty to producing cannabis on November 6 last year on Perth Road.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael deferred sentence on Balilai in order to obtain social work reports. He was remanded in custody meantime.
