Albanian Drug Dealer Paid £13k to Enter UK and Run Cannabis Operation
An Albanian drug dealer, Renato Kaloti, has been sentenced to two years in jail for setting up a £250,000 cannabis farm across two remote Scottish cottages. Kaloti, who was previously banned from Switzerland for heroin trafficking, will be deported back to Albania for entering the United Kingdom illegally. Dundee Sheriff Court heard that Kaloti paid 13,000 Euros to an Albanian drug gang to smuggle him into the UK to oversee a large-scale cannabis cultivation operation.
The court was informed that the illegal cannabis cultivation was discovered by a SEPA official investigating irregular power usage at the cottages. Upon police arrival, Kaloti surrendered himself, leading them to a significant cannabis-growing operation inside one of the cottages. A search of both cottages revealed 309 cannabis plants with a potential value of £231,750.
Kaloti confessed to police that he had willingly come to the UK to work for an Albanian male in producing cannabis. He admitted to entering the UK illegally, paying for his entry from Belgium to London in late 2023. After arriving in Edinburgh, he joined forces with individuals who transported him to the cannabis farm in Angus, where he followed cultivation instructions provided to him.
Every room in the rented cottages had been repurposed for cannabis growth, reflecting the scale of the illicit operation. Kaloti’s defence solicitor stated that he would be returned to Albania after serving his sentence, acknowledging the gravity of the offence and Kaloti’s prior convictions.
Sheriff Alistair Carmichael condemned Kaloti’s actions, highlighting the unacceptable nature of entering a country unlawfully to engage in illegal drug production. The sheriff emphasized the need to impose a prison sentence to deter others from committing similar offences in the UK.
Kaloti, who pleaded guilty to involvement in cannabis production, will serve his prison term before being deported back to Albania. The case sheds light on the complexities of drug trafficking networks spanning across different countries and the efforts undertaken by law enforcement agencies to combat such criminal activities.