A Swedish national who came to the UK to train as a barber was discovered by police looking after a cannabis factory containing plants worth up to £50,000. 🚨
Herish Mustafa, 35, appeared nervous when officers arrived at the property in Picton Street, Maesteg, Bridgend on March 17. Upon entering, police noticed plastic material taped over windows and detected a strong smell of cannabis.
A search revealed three growing rooms containing 66 cannabis plants with a potential yield between 1.5kg and 5kg, valued between £15,000 and £50,000.
During Wednesday’s sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court, Mustafa claimed he had been acting under pressure from Albanian men who provided him accommodation, stating he “would be killed” if he spoke to police.
His barrister Matthew Comer told the court: “My client is a Swedish national who came to the UK to train as a barber but he had nowhere to live and met Albanian men who took him to a house and told him to look after the cannabis.”
The court heard Mustafa has three children and his wife has mobility issues requiring the use of a wheelchair.
Judge Paul Hobson described the cultivation as “relatively small scale” before sentencing Mustafa to 20 weeks imprisonment, of which he will serve 40% before release on licence.
