Six sentenced in connection with Lenwade cannabis factory
Six men have been sentenced in connection with the discovery of one of Norfolk’s largest cannabis factories.
Photos: Norfolk Constabulary
This follows a warrant that was carried out at an industrial unit off Norwich Road in Lenwade on 16 July last year.
After forcing entry to the building, officers found cannabis being grown in four large rooms with extensive hydroponic equipment. More than 1,000 cannabis plants with a value of around £1m were seized.
Nine people were arrested at the scene in connection with the find and were taken into police custody in Wymondham and Aylsham before being charged with producing cannabis.
Six of those charged in connection with the discovery appeared at Norwich Crown Court on Monday 20 July for sentencing:
- Mevlan Cena, 23, of no fixed address was sentenced to 26 months in prison.
- Potja Shpresim, 32, of no fixed address was sentenced to two years in prison.
- Ali Yilmaz, 54, of Montagu Road, Edmonton, London, was sentenced to 28 months in prison.
- Zafer Kinik, 54, of Penn Road, London, was sentenced to 20 months in prison.
- Dat Tran, 24, of no fixed address was sentenced to 27 months in prison.
- Kien Le, 27, of no fixed address was sentenced to 26 months in prison.
Two others charged in connection with the find have had no further action taken against them.
Detective Inspector Chris Burgess from Norwich CID said: “A huge amount of planning and work went into this operation, from the seizure of the plants right through to the conviction of those involved.
“People often think that the production of cannabis and selling of drugs is a victimless crime, but what people don’t realise is that the people at the top often exploit vulnerable people and force them to work in these factories with no concern for their welfare.
“[The sentencing] not only demonstrates the collaborative effort of those involved in this investigation, but it should also reassure the local community that we do listen to any concerns they may have about drug supply and we will take enforcement action where appropriate.
“We continue to encourage anyone with information about drug activity in their local community to contact police.”
Anyone with information about drugs activity in their area should contact Norfolk Police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
See our earlier story:
