Connect with us
Advertisement
Advertisement

Crime

Albanian man jailed after cannabis farm found in Pembroke

Published

on

AN ALBANIAN man has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after police discovered a sophisticated cannabis farm in the former Lloyds Pharmacy on Main Street, Pembroke.

Dyfed-Powys Police officers raided the vacant property at 10:00am on Friday (Oct 18) and found 575 cannabis plants in advanced stages of growth across three rooms. The estimated yield of the plants could have produced between 15 and 45 kilograms of cannabis, valued at £170,000 to £500,000 on the street.

Inside the building, officers also discovered a makeshift living area with a bed and shower, indicating that the suspect, Amarildo Daja, had been residing there. Daja attempted to flee but retreated into the building, hiding in the ceiling when confronted by police. Officers assisted him down with a ladder before placing him under arrest.

The property’s electricity supply had been tampered with to avoid detection, and two mobile phones were found on-site—one damaged and the other wiped clean.

Daja, 27, admitted to police that he had been smuggled into the UK by a criminal gang to pay off a debt. He initially worked in London but agreed to tend the cannabis farm in Pembrokeshire three months prior to his arrest after struggling to make payments.

In court, his defense barrister, Caitlin Brazel, explained that Daja deeply regretted his actions, describing them as “out of character.” Daja, who has no fixed address, expressed a desire to serve his sentence and seek legal employment afterward.

Judge Geraint Walters noted that the case highlighted the need to target criminal organizations behind such operations. “If we want to tackle the issue of Albanian criminal gangs establishing cannabis factories, we must find the ringleaders,” he stated.

Daja will serve his sentence with the possibility of deportation upon release, subject to a Home Office decision.

(Main image: Martin Cavaney)

Crime

Begelly man sentenced for carrying metal bar during nightclub fight

Published

on

A MAN has been sentenced after approaching a Pembrokeshire nightclub armed with a metre-long metal bar.

Just after 2:30am on July 21, police were called to Main Street, Pembroke, following reports of a large fight involving around 100 people outside ‘Out’ nightclub.

Crown Prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest magistrates this week: “Officers were told it was a large fight. They saw Walter Probert, 27, march purposefully towards a parked van.

“The van’s lights were on, and they saw the defendant pull out a long, green metal pole. He took ten steps back towards the nightclub and transferred the pole from one hand to the other.”

Another man approached Probert, removed the pole from his hands, and placed it inside the van.

“Because of the manner in which the pole was used by the defendant, it became an offensive weapon,” added Ms James.

CCTV footage of the incident was shown to magistrates.

Probation officer Julie Norman said Probert had no recollection of the incident.

“He doesn’t remember what he was doing, but he accepts everything that has been said. He was very drunk,” she said.

“He was brought up in the gypsy travelling community and doesn’t have an alcohol issue; he’s just a social drinker. He’s thankful to his friend who took the pole and placed it back inside the van.”

Probert, of the Caravan Site, Kingsmoor Common, Begelly, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place. He was represented in court by Mr Tom Lloyd.

“No threats were made by the defendant when he picked it up, but it was a stupid decision,” said Mr Lloyd. “As soon as he was challenged and asked what he was doing, he ceased.”

Probert was sentenced to a 12-month community order, requiring him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £114 court surcharge. Magistrates imposed a destruction order on the metal bar.

Continue Reading

Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

Published

on

THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”

Continue Reading

Crime

Sex offender jailed for breaching court order

Published

on

A SEX offender from Wolfscastle has been jailed after using fake names on WhatsApp and attempting to access a social media app, breaching his sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

Luke Rogers, 38, was sentenced to 10 months in prison at Swansea Crown Court after pleading guilty to two breaches of the order, which was imposed following his 2020 conviction for sexual activity with a child.

Under the SHPO, Rogers was prohibited from using unregistered internet-enabled devices or creating online profiles under false names. Prosecutor Ryan Bowen told the court that police monitoring software installed on Rogers’ phone detected activity in group chats under three aliases last November.

Further investigation revealed Rogers had also searched for the MeetMe app on four occasions and admitted using it. Rogers, described by Mr. Bowen as “apologetic,” was arrested, and his phone was seized.

The court heard Rogers has a history of 17 convictions for 35 offences, including breaching court orders and failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements.

Defence barrister Olivia Rose said Rogers had cooperated fully with police and expressed a desire to change. She argued that his breaches stemmed from a misunderstanding about permitted names and emphasized his efforts to seek support.

Despite these mitigating factors, Judge Catherine Richards noted Rogers’ pattern of reoffending and stated: “The reality is I can only pass an immediate custodial sentence.”

She expressed hope that Rogers would take advantage of post-sentence supervision to break the cycle of offending.

Continue Reading

Crime3 hours ago

Begelly man sentenced for carrying metal bar during nightclub fight

A MAN has been sentenced after approaching a Pembrokeshire nightclub armed with a metre-long metal bar. Just after 2:30am on...

Business2 days ago

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure...

Community2 days ago

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation...

News3 days ago

Ferry accident causes delay on new Dublin-Fishguard route

IRISH Ferries’ Isle of Innisfree sustained damage during arrival on Friday (Dec 20) at Fishguard port. The incident occurred as...

Entertainment4 days ago

River-themed lanterns light up Cardigan in spectacular parade

THOUSANDS of people flocked to Cardigan on Monday (Dec 18) for the much-anticipated Giant Lantern Parade, hosted by Small World...

Business4 days ago

Pembrokeshire care home group hit by £150,000 budget blow

A COMPANY with six care homes in Pembrokeshire has revealed it is facing a £150,000 financial hit due to controversial...

News5 days ago

Rift between Neyland councillors now ‘as wide as Grand Canyon’

THE DIVISIONS within Neyland Town Council deepened further this week after a controversial attempt to block an Extraordinary General Meeting...

Politics5 days ago

Pembrokeshire Long Course Weekend changes could be made

PEMBROKESHIRE’S annual Long Course Weekend triathlon event could be run on a different route in future, in an attempt to...

Business1 week ago

Wales’ biggest Specsavers store opens in Haverfordwest

SPECSAVERS HAVERFORDWEST has relocated to a larger, state-of-the-art premises in the Riverside Shopping Centre, becoming the largest Specsavers store in...

News1 week ago

Engine room fire caused by loose fuel pipe connection previously flagged

AN INVSTIGATION has been published into a fire that broke out in the engine room of the roll-on/roll-off passenger ferry...

Popular This Week