A “cleaner” was caught inside a major cannabis cultivation in an abandoned Tayside pool after staying in the UK illegally to receive NHS dental work.
Albanian national Xhafer Furriku, 66, was discovered inside the disused Forfar swimming pool on August 8 2023.
Dundee Sheriff Court heard previously how cannabis worth more than £187,000 was discovered in a raid on the “sophisticated” operation.
Fellow Albanians Hajri Musa and Gerald Daci were previously locked up for being concerned in the supply of drugs in the same scheme.
The pool has been empty since 2017 and had been sold by Angus Council for £50,000 months before the cultivation came to light.
Major cannabis farm found
Fiscal depute Sarah Wilkinson said previously: “Police received intelligence about a significant cannabis cultivation.
“Officers attended and entry was forced.
“The disused pool and changing room area had been turned into a growing area.
“There were approximately 150 plants.
“There was a further growing room on the floor above.
“There were around 100 further plants.
“There was plastic sheeting on the floor and ceiling.”
The crop had been assessed as having a realisable total value of nearly £200,000 when it was found on August 8 last year.
Dental work
Furriku was found within the premises by police, who managed to apprehend Musa and Daci as they tried to escape.
Through an interpreter, Furriku replied: “I came here to clean and paint.”
Furriku, currently a prisoner at HMP Perth, pled guilty to being concerned in the supply of the Class B drug.
Solicitor David Kinloch said Furriku, a first offender, had travelled to the UK legally in September 2022 to visit two of his adult children in Huddersfield.
However, he did not return home to Albania after his visa expired.
Mr Kinloch told Sheriff Tim Niven-Smith: “I asked him why – and I’m not being humorous – he had extensive dental work to be done and because he was in the UK, the NHS covered that dental work.
“When he was working in Albania he was involved in general construction that included painting and decorating.
“He was offered employment as a painter and decorator at the locus in Forfar during the month of July.
“He travelled by bus to Forfar and he was informed he was there to tidy up and paint.
“He was not allowed to leave.”
Deportation order
Sheriff Niven-Smith sentenced Furriku to 36 months in prison, backdated to August 2023 when he was first remanded.
He said: “I recognise… there’s nothing to suggest that you were wholly responsible for the setting-up of this sophisticated, commercial cultivation site.
“It’s appropriate to sentence you on the basis that you were a bit-player in the cultivation.
“Nevertheless, without people such as yourself being prepared to engage with often far more serious criminals the supply of drugs would be impossible.”
The sheriff also granted an order for Furriku’s deportation upon the conclusion of his prison sentence.
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