Two men are behind bars after police raided a £9.5m cannabis factory in Glasgow.
Orges Rizaj, 28, and Agustin Grembi, 26, were held after officers moved on the converted industrial building in Possilpark in November last year.
A judge heard how police uncovered “a very large and sophisticated” set-up consisting of 3000 cannabis plants.
Rizaj and Grembi have been remanded in custody pending sentencing next month after they pled guilty to being involved in the production of the drug.
Rizaj told police he had been in Scotland for two months, whilst both men were also quizzed about alleged “human trafficking”.
Prosecutor Euan Cameron told the High Court in Glasgow on Friday: “Rizaj said he had come to the UK for a better life and paid 18,000 Euros to those who arranged transport.
“That sum was still outstanding and he was working to pay it off.”
He denied being forced to remain at the cannabis farm. A check with the UK Border Agency revealed the pair were in the country illegally.
Rizaj’s lawyer Billy Lavelle said: “He was not being paid anything. He was paying off the transportation (to the UK).”
Lord Mulholland deferred sentencing for reports.
The judge told them: “You knew what you were doing was illegal.
“You were doing this to pay off a debt which saw you come from where you lived to this country.”
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