Wales Cannabis Farm Crackdown Jails 29, Millions of Pounds Worth Seized

Police busted many cannabis farms in Wales. These farms were large, industrial operations. The total value of the seized cannabis is over £12 million. These farms were often in unexpected places, such as a former school and one near a police station.

Dyfed-Powys Police shut down 37 farms in one year, located within shops and even newspaper offices. They arrested 35 people as part of “Operation Scotney,” which targets the organized crime gangs setting up these farms. Police are still gathering information to stop more farms.

“Scotney” is the force’s biggest drug operation; they seized heating and lighting equipment related to it. The operation started in 2024. Detectives and police officers are working together to find and disrupt these factories. They act before the cannabis grows fully, executing 37 warrants and finding thousands of plants.

Thirty-five people were arrested, and twenty-nine went to jail. Four await sentencing, two have not entered a plea, and two were deported. Three men were jailed for using a school to grow cannabis worth £620,000. Njazi Gjana and Ervin Gjana got two and a half years, while Armeld Troski got three years and four months after people reported their suspicious activity, leading police to find 730 plants.

Two other men admitted to drug charges, also involving a former school. The cannabis was worth nearly £2 million, and the building had CCTV cameras. Two men are waiting for their sentence. In one raid, police found equipment in a store near the police station, containing about 435 cannabis plants. Nobody has been arrested in that farm.

Police found farms in Welshpool as well. These crime groups chose public locations, sometimes near busy areas, including close proximity to a police station. The criminals acted boldly, using former schools and shops while acting like construction workers to avoid suspicion. They carried boxes during the day.

Police want the public to help by reporting anything suspicious. Operation Scotney has been successful. Police want to stop drug dealers and will investigate property owners. Look for heat, strong smells, garden waste, and constant lighting. Power outages and covered windows are also warning signs.

Report people coming and going at odd hours, and lights on when nobody seems to be there. Contact Dyfed-Powys Police online, by email, or by phone. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously.