Four men jailed for Clipstone cannabis factory

Officers were called to The Circle in Clipstone after four men were spotted carrying what appeared to be cannabis to a van.

When police arrived they inspected a Ford Transit van and found a heat lamp and fertiliser that could have been used to grow the class B drug.

A strong smell of cannabis was coming from a house in the street and police moved to investigate – once inside, they found Illir Hysa, Kleant Kurani, Odysseas Zatsais and Arben Capja, along with more than 200 cannabis plants.

Inspector Dean Greaves, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This was a significant cannabis grow that would have been sold on to fund illegal activities.

“Cannabis growing and supply is often linked to other criminal enterprise and serious organised crime – as such we take reports of cannabis grows very seriously and will always investigate reports thoroughly.

“Hysa, Capja, Zatsais and Kurani will now suffer the consequences of their actions and this result sends a strong message to those who break the law in this way.

“I’d encourage anyone who sees anything suspicious in their area to contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101 or in an emergency, dial 999.

“Local residents and communities really are our eyes and ears and we will always listen and take reports of crime seriously.”

The Clipstone property had been turned into a sophisticated and well-established drug factory which was dismantled by Nottinghamshire Police on 30 March 2021.

Hysa, Kurani, Zatsais and Capja had previously pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis at a previous hearing and all four were jailed at a hearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday 13 August 2021.

None of the defendants acknowledged knowing the others, while Hysa and Capja admitted entering the UK illegally.

Prosecutor Steven Taylor said messages on Kurani's phone suggested he had invested in the grow, and when Capja's address was searched, £11,600 in cash was recovered along with a notepad detailing sales in kilos.

None of the defendants have any previous convictions in this country, or in their home countries of Albania and Greece, and they pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

Phillip Plant, mitigating, said Hysa was not a financier but had "some understanding of the operation," and "performed a limited function."

Capja's barrister said his best mitigation was his early guilty plea and conceded he played a "significant" role and “is remorseful for the situation he has put his family in."

Kurani's barrister said conditions in prison were hard, the profits were to be shared and Kurani had only been in the country for six months.

Judge Mark Watson said Capja and Kurani had "a high management control over the operation," while Hysa and Zatsais occupied "at least, important roles."

Capja, 28, of Broxtowe Drive in Mansfield and Kurani, 29, of no fixed address, were sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.

Hysa, 30, of The Circle in Clipstone and Zatsais, 28, of no fixed address, were sentenced to three years behind bars.

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