Three men have been jailed for more than 26 years between them after an attempted burglary at a cannabis factory triggered a violent clash between rival gangs.
Police were called in the early hours of March 3, 2021 to reports that gun shots had been fired and several people were fighting with weapons in the Hallwicks Road area of Luton.
Several vehicles, including a blue Seat, a black Vauxhall Astra and a silver Astra, had also been seen to be chasing and colliding with each other within the vicinity, as well as crashing into a local resident’s vehicle.
The brawl was sparked after a number of individuals attempted to break into a nearby property which was being used as a cannabis factory. Around 200 cannabis plants across four rooms were found at the address.
A man, who was present in the property at the time, called his criminal associates who arrived at the scene armed with weapons, including a firearm.
Edison Lilaj, Gezim Brahimaj and Albiont Kucai were arrested a few weeks later after the disorder, following search warrants in Luton and Shefford, and charged with a number of offences relating to the incident.
During the searches, officers found the blue Seat that was involved in the incident, two phones that were used during in the area on the day it happened, two large bags of cannabis, almost £20,000 in cash and bank statements detailing accounts with a total of around £42,000 in them.
Other expensive items were also seized, including a receipt for a watch worth over £2,000.
A water bill for the rented property which housed the cannabis factory was also discovered.
On Wednesday, April 19, 2023, all three men were sentenced at Luton Crown Court for their part in the incident.
Brahimaj, 36, of Somersby Close, Luton, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to conspiracy to produce a controlled drug and possessing criminal property, while being found guilty of violent disorder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.
He was given a jail sentence of 18 years and five months: 15-and-a-half years for the firearms offence; an additional sentence of two years 11 months for drug dealing, as well as concurrent sentences of four years and six months for the violent disorder and possession of criminal property respectively.
Kucai, 33, of Stockingstone Road, Luton, was found guilty of conspiracy to cultivate cannabis, assisting an offender, and possessing criminal property.
He was handed a jail term of four years and four months: three years four months for the cannabis offences, an additional 12 months for assisting an offender, and a concurrent sentence of six months for possession of criminal property.
Lilaj, 34 of Axon Paddock, Shefford, was found guilty of violent disorder and sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison.
Detective Inspector Justine Jenkins, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: “The violence that occurred in a residential street in the early hours of the morning was absolutely unacceptable and we hope that this result reassures our communities that we are doing all we can to tackle street violence.
“Drugs continue to be the most significant driver of serious violence in our county, and we are seeing more of our organised crime groups utilise cannabis as a way of making money, which in turn is resulting in an increase in exploitation and violence – as seen in this case.
“People have strong views on cannabis. But in this case a cannabis factory was the primary driver of significant violence and disorder, including firearms being recklessly discharged near people’s homes. A local resident’s car was damaged, and it is lucky that no other innocent party was injured.
“This risk is why we would urge people to keep reporting potential cannabis factories to us, so we can take action to keep our communities safe from the violence and exploitation these gangs will so often cause.”
Some of the signs to keep an eye out for to spot cannabis factories are:
- Blacked out windows, often disguised by net curtains or blinds
- Excessive condensation on the windows caused by increased humidity
- Permanently locked windows, even in summer
- An excessive amount of plant pots, chemicals, fertilisers and compost
- Chemical or pungent smells
Anyone with information about drug activity can contact police on 101 or via the online reporting centre.
People can also contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or crimestoppers-uk.org
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