Police found men behind 'hidden door' by cannabis factory

Elian Thana, 27, and Silvio Sakaj, 23, were discovered in a neighbouring building after officers executed a drugs warrant at a property in George Street, Great Yarmouth, at the end of June.

Norwich Crown Court heard Sakaj was found "hiding behind the door" while Thana had been "in plain sight" when police went through the "hidden door".

Norwich Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

Oliver Haswell, prosecuting, said the pair - both Albanian nationals of no fixed abode - were discovered after police found no-one at the property where the "entire building had been given over to the production of cannabis".

He said that "from the basement through to the top floor" a total of 515 cannabis plants were discovered.

Police at a property on George Street, near Broad Row, Great Yarmouth where a cannabis factory was discovered (Image: James Weeds, Newsquest)

Also found at the address was a total of 40kg of cannabis in the process of being dried out.

Thana, and Sakaj appeared in court on Tuesday (August 8) having admitted producing cannabis.

Police at a property in George Street, Great Yarmouth where a cannabis factory was discovered (Image: James Weeds, Newsquest)

Sentencing both Sakaj and Thana to eight months imprisonment Recorder John Hardy said it was "an all too familiar tale".

He said: "Both of you dreamed of prosperity and success but were ensnared by sophisticated criminals who used you to harvest their drugs production".

Ian James, mitigating for Sakaj, said he had come into this country illegally having been told of the prospect of earning money working in the construction industry.

But he said he ended up being conveyed to Yarmouth with debts to be "expunged".

He said he accepted what he had done was wrong.

John Morgans, mitigating for Thana, said his mother had been diagnosed with cancer and he had wanted to find work to support her and his family.

He said the defendant "didn't realise what he was getting himself into" and wanted to apologise.