TWO men have been jailed after being caught at a former Halfords store in a city centre that had been turned into a £700,000 cannabis factory.

Sali Kadria, 31, and Zenel Sulaj, 30, were tending to 680 plants at Ebenezer Terrace when they were raided by the police in October.

The Albanian nationals were jailed for 14 months and six months respectively at Cardiff Crown Court after they pleaded guilty to producing the class B drug.

Kadria also admitted being in breach of sex offender notification requirements and being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

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Those offences related to separate matters.

South Wales Argus: Sali Kadria

He was convicted of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child in 2020 and committed the sex offender register breach by failing to tell the police he had left his address in London.

The being concerned in the supply of cannabis related to Kadria’s involvement in another cannabis factory in Bargoed, Caerphilly.

A number of formerly disused buildings in Newport city centre have been targeted by and taken over by gangsters in recent months.

South Wales Argus: Zenel Sulaj

More than 9,000 cannabis plants worth millions have been seized in raids by Gwent Police.

Disruption to the power grid caused by the theft of electricity to power these drug factories is expected to cost £1 million.

Two Albanian men were cultivating more than 2,000 cannabis plants with a potential street value of £915,000 over the Alexandra pub on Commercial Street.

An Albanian man was found working as a “gardener” at another property on the same street with 229 cannabis plants worth £240,000.