Cannabis cultivator in court after being caught during raid

Police caught a cannabis grower hiding in the loft while they were carrying out a morning house raid.

Elezi Ardit made his way straight up the ladder to the attic after hearing officers force their way into the property.

Neighbourhood officers from Sherwood and Bulwell worked in tandem to execute the warrant in Rushcliffe Rise, Sherwood.

This came after the city north teams received intelligence that the house was being used to grow large amounts of cannabis.

Officers were able to confirm these suspicions were indeed correct, after uncovering a grow, around 9am on Thursday (19 September).

One of the rooms was found to be housing 121 plants, while several other areas of the property had been converted into cannabis growing areas.

This included up in the loft, where Ardit was found trying to hide and was placed in handcuffs.

All the cannabis was subsequently dismantled, while the growing equipment was also put out of use and seized.

Ardit, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis when he appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Friday (20 September).

The 29-year-old has been remanded in custody, ahead of his next appearance at Nottingham Crown Court, where he will be sentenced on 11 October.

Inspector Paul Ferguson, neighbourhood inspector for the city north area, said: “This successful warrant offered a perfect example of why it’s so important people report any suspicions they have around drug activity to the police.

“As a result of us being made aware of these suspicions, we were able to take action, and shut this household cannabis farm down before it caused any more trouble.

“We’re absolutely committed to doing everything we can to root out drug operations like this from our community and put the people behind them before the courts.

“As Ardit will find out to his cost when he’s sentenced, growing cannabis on a large scale is a very serious offence.

“Tackling drug crime remains a policing priority for us in the city north area and will remain so while I’m the neighbourhood inspector.”