TWO men have been jailed after they grew more than 1,000 cannabis plants at five houses in the South Wales Valleys.

Ardit Tafa, 26, and Xheladin Daja, 25, were being used as gardeners by gangsters at the addresses in Ebbw Vale, Nantyglo, and Merthyr Tydfil.

Thomas Stanway, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: “Each of those properties had been converted into relatively sophisticated cannabis factories and the searches led to a total of 1,080 cannabis plants being seized.

“They had a potential yield worth between £120,000 and £473,200.”

Mr Stanway gave a breakdown of the addresses and the drugs found:

  • Garn Cross, Nantyglo – 130 plants;
  • Beaufort Road, Ebbw Vale – 104 plants;
  • Alexandra Street, Ebbw Vale – 471 plants;
  • Plant View, Nantyglo – 140 plants;
  • Bryntirion Road, Merthyr Tydfil – 235 plants.

Tafa was also caught with a fake Greek driving licence he had used to rent one of the houses.

South Wales Argus: Ardit Tafa

Both defendants are illegal immigrants from Albania who were arrested in August.

MORE NEWS: Woman jailed after stealing alcohol during shoplifting spree

Daja, of no fixed abode, and Tafa, of Church Street, Ebbw Vale pleaded guilty to producing a class B drug.

South Wales Argus: Xheladin Daja

Tafa also admitted possession of an identity document with improper intention.

Neither of the men have any previous convictions.

Kevin Seal, for Daja, said his client had put forward a modern slavery defence which he had since abandoned.

South Wales Argus:

Gwent Police tweeted this picture from one of the five properties following their arrest

Christopher Evans, representing Tafa, told the court the defendant was keen to return to his homeland to see his family.

Both men are almost certain to be deported once they are released from prison.

Judge Simon Mills told the defendants: “You both fell prey to what must have been an organised crime gang and you ended up working in a substantial cannabis producing operation at five different addresses using sophisticated methods.”

Tafa was jailed for 12 months and Daja locked up for nine months.

They will both serve half of those terms in custody before being released which will be soon after they were told the time spent on remand would count towards their sentences.