A MAN who left an asylum centre was found tending 242 cannabis plants with a potential street value of £119,850 in a city house.

Nardi Shkalla was arrested after police raided the property on Newport’s Chepstow Road this summer on Tuesday, August 13.

Officers discovered a “professional set-up” where the 41-year defendant from Albania was working as a gardener for a criminal gang.

Sol Hartley, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: “The defendant was at the bottom of the tree.

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“He was put into the property by other people.

“The whole house was effectively set up for the purpose of growing cannabis.”

Mr Hartley added: “This was a very professional set-up.

(Image: There were 242 cannabis plants at the Newport house. CPS Wales)

“Clearly those in control of the property had gone to significant expense to install lighting, fans and transformers.

“The defendant came to the UK from Albania around four or five months ago.

“He was in an asylum centre before he was placed in a hotel and then left.

“The defendant met some Albanians who said they'd help him find work and he was placed within this property.

“He was told that he was going to be looking after the plants. He didn't know what they were initially.

“It was only later did he realise that they were cannabis.”

The defendant, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to producing the class B drug.

The offence occurred between July 1 and August 14.

He has no previous convictions in the UK.

Shkalla was represented by Alice Sykes who said: “He came to this country in a small boat.

“The defendant was under the control of others.

“He came to the UK to seek work and make money.”

She added that her client has a wife and a 13-year-old son who live in Greece.

Shkalla had “expressed remorse” to her, his barrister revealed.

The judge, Recorder Dyfed Llion Thomas, jailed the defendant for six months.

He ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the cannabis and all the growing equipment.

The defendant followed proceedings through an Albanian interpreter.