An Albanian migrant discovered tending a £30,000 cannabis farm in Stoke-on-Trent is set to be released after a judge ruled that he had already spent enough time behind bars. The man, 23-year-old Hysen Xhakolli, had entered the UK illegally in the back of a lorry after fleeing problems in Albania. He later ended up homeless in London, where he agreed to water cannabis plants in exchange for food and a place to sleep.
Xhakolli travelled from London to the Midlands after meeting another Albanian man who offered him accommodation if he agreed to take care of a drug-growing operation. Prosecutors told the court that police found him living inside a property in Meir, Stoke-on-Trent, where 30 cannabis plants were being grown. Officers discovered that he had been watering the plants daily for about two weeks before his arrest, receiving no payment except shelter and meals.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard that the cannabis farm was part of a wider criminal network operating several grow houses in the area. However, Xhakolli’s role was described as minimal, with the court acknowledging that he acted under the direction of others and had no involvement in organising the operation. Judge Richard McConaghy said the young migrant was at the “lowest level” of the wider conspiracy and was simply maintaining the plants without financial gain.
Why did he return to the UK in a lorry after leaving the first time?
According to his lawyer, Xhakolli had originally arrived in the UK illegally in 2020 but chose to return to Albania. He later came back in 2024 after his family faced threats linked to debts owed by his father. His defence explained that he was targeted by those seeking repayment and fled for safety, which led him to re-enter the UK through another lorry journey.
Defence barrister Devon Small said Xhakolli had spent six months and 11 days on remand, far longer than his eventual sentence. He described his client’s living conditions inside the cannabis house as “appalling” and emphasised that Xhakolli had never been in trouble with the police before. The court heard that he felt desperate for any form of shelter after struggling to survive in London.
Judge McConaghy acknowledged his vulnerable situation, saying that while others involved in the larger cannabis network received sentences as long as four and a half years, Xhakolli’s involvement was clearly different. The judge noted that the property he stayed in contained significantly fewer plants than other sites linked to the conspiracy, reinforcing his minor role in the operation.
Xhakolli admitted to the production of a Class B drug. Because he has already spent more time in custody than the three-month sentence he was given, he is expected to be released immediately. The case highlights the growing trend of vulnerable migrants being drawn into illegal cannabis operations in exchange for necessities such as food and shelter