Three men jailed after £1.8m cannabis factory found at derelict shopping centre

Three men have been jailed for a total of almost 20 years after police uncovered a £1.8m cannabis factory at a derelict shopping centre.

Two of the Albanian nationals had previously been ordered to be deported from the UK, with one managing to return after he had been kicked out.

Elton Skenderi, 30, Gjovalin Toma, 31, and Eduard Daja, 39, were sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow.

They earlier admitted being involved in the production of the class B drug after thousands of plants were seized in September 2024.

Skenderi was locked up for five years and three months, and Toma was jailed for six years.

Daja was handed a term of six years and nine months by Judge Lord Mulholland.

The cannabis factory had been set up in shuttered units at the disused former Forum Shopping Centre in Irvine, Ayrshire.

Scottish Power, which had concerns about “energy use” at the premises, tipped off the police.

Prosecutor Stewart Ronnie: “Entry was forced, and a large cannabis cultivation was discovered over two floors.”

It was the same sophisticated set-up in neighbouring units, which police also raided.

There had been a barricaded door to try and stop the authorities getting in together with CCTV rigged up outside.

There was also what was described as “living quarters” which included a bedroom, a cooking area, an electric heater as well as tables and chairs.

Photos shown to judge Lord Mulholland also showed clothes hanging up, toiletries lying around and pictures on a wall.

A total of 3,058 cannabis plants were seized.

Mr Ronnie said the drugs had a value of between £611,600 and £1,834,800.

Cannabis farm found in derelict shopping centre in Irvine COPFS

During the probe into who was involved, officers spoke to a witness who had regularly spotted “several foreign males” turning up at the shopping centre in the early hours most days of the week.

A white van would often roll up, and the men would be seen with “heavy black bin liner bags”.

Skenderi and Toma were held that night after trying to run from the police. They were said to be smelling of cannabis.

Daja was caught the next day after being spotted leaving a fire exit at the shopping centre.

He claimed to have been sleeping in the building.

Fingerprint and forensic evidence linked Skenderi and Daja to the crime scene.

This included DNA from both found on hair clippers discovered there.

Mr Ronnie: “At the time of their arrest, all three refused to provide information relevant as to whether they were victims of human trafficking.”

The advocate depute gave further background on the trio.

Daja was sentenced to eight months for a similar offence in May 2023 at Leeds Crown Court.

He also served with a deportation order and was returned to Tirana in Albania in July 2023 under the Facilitated Returns Scheme.

This programme was set up in 2006 to make the removal of foreign criminals from the UK easier and at the earliest opportunity.

But, Daja ended up back in the country and soon returned to crime. He admitted to a charge of breaching the order.

Toma also had a previous conviction for cannabis growing. He was sentenced to 14 months in Leeds in 2022.

He was also ordered to be sent back to Albania, but went on to claim asylum and it remains a live case.

Skenderi – like the other two – had no ties to the UK.

Lord Mulholland told the men: “You have all been convicted of drug trafficking. This was no small-time operation.

“You have all come here to receive the benefits available from living here, and this is how you treat the country – criminality on an industrial scale.”