Three men have been jailed over a planned cannabis farm in an abandoned warehouse that could have been worth at least £400k. 

Resul Rahova, 30, Martin Biba, 61, and Gjergi Biba, 28, were arrested after getting caught transporting hundreds of plants and pieces of equipment intended for a major illegal growing operation.  

Norwich Crown Court was told they had been stopped by police in Great Yarmouth on April 4.

Officers become suspicious after the rented Ford Transit van the three Albanian nationals were in appeared to be dangerously overloaded.

Seized plants and growing equipment was destined for major cannabis farm in empty warehousePolice seized plants and growing equipment destined for a major cannabis farm (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

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John Morgans, prosecuting, said officers discovered 599 young cannabis plants, foil air ducting and a large amount of growing compost.

“They were on route to a large empty warehouse that would have been converted into a growing operation, capable of producing a significant quantity of cannabis.”

The court was told the estimated yield from an operation of that size would have been up to 38 kilos.  

The approximate street value of such a cannabis haul could have been as much as £400,000.

All three had initially denied charges of being concerned in the production of cannabis but later changed their plea to guilty.  

Resul Rahova was jailed for 14 months and his co-defendants for 10 months eachResul Rahova was jailed for 14 months and his co-defendants for 10 months each (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

Sentencing Rahova to 14 months and his co-defendants to 10 months each, Judge David Pugh said: “You were involved in an operation capable of producing significant quantities of cannabis.”

READ MORE: Illegal immigrant jailed over cannabis operation in Great Yarmouth house

Rahova, from Essex, who hired the van and was driving, was previously jailed for five years in 2016 for his part in a conspiracy to supply cocaine. 

Martin and Gjergi Biba both entered the UK illegally and had been motivated to pay off debts to people smugglers, the court was told.

Both face deportation on their release from prison. 

Oliver Haswell, mitigating for Martin Biba, said: “He was one of these three tasked with moving these plants and ducting to the location. He had no insight into the wider operation.

“These were in fact saplings and we don’t know how many, if any, would have ever reached maturity.”