Cannabis farm uncovered in Falkirk after tapping into neighbour's electricity supply

A cannabis farm was uncovered after criminals had tapped into a firm’s electricity supply to help run it.

Police raided the industrial unit in Carron near Falkirk, Stirlingshire on February 5 this year.

Officers seized more than 1,800 cannabis plants, which could have produced a minimum £1.5m of the class B drug.

Two men arrested that day have now admitted their involvement as they appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow.

Albanian pair Izet Kazhaja, 27, and Lilzim Llocja, 35, pleaded guilty to a charge of being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

They will be sentenced next month.

Prosecutor Ali Murray explained how police had been alerted to the cultivation at the converted unit at the estate in Stenhouse Road, Carron.

Mr Murray: “The financial director of a firm – who also leased a property there – noticed an anomaly in the electricity bill.

“An unusual smell had previously been noted, and there was suspicion of what was going on in the neighbouring unit.

“However, it was this electricity bill which was the catalyst for the police to be called to report concerns.”

When officers turned up, both Kazhaja and Llocja tried to run away.

Mr Murray said the unit had been converted into several rooms housing the cannabis plants, sophisticated lighting and heating equipment.

There was also a kitchen area as well as beds and personal belongings.

Llocja’s lawyer Patricia Baillie told the court he had been employed as a “gardener” at the cannabis farm and had initially not been aware it was the police who had turned up that day.

Lord Cubie deferred sentencing until November 22 in Edinburgh.

The judge stated: “You have pleaded guilty to a serious offence involving a substantial amount of cannabis.

“I recognise that your roles were relatively minor and that the offence is restricted to one day, but this will still give rise to a significant sentence.”