Three Men Jailed Over Massive Kent Cannabis Grows
Three men caught running huge cannabis farms in Faversham and Herne Bay have been locked up for over seven years combined.
Crackdown After Police Helicopter Spy Heat Signatures
Haxhi Gjocera, Diamant Jaku, and Ajet Nerguti were busted in September 2019 after the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate swooped on an industrial unit and a town centre shop basement. The tip-off came from an anonymous informant claiming a unit at Faversham’s Shipyard Industrial Estate was pumping out large-scale cannabis.
A helicopter from the National Police Air Service spotted unusual heat patterns, confirming suspicions of an illegal grow operation. That led to a covert probe revealing Gjocera and Jaku’s repeated visits to the fenced compound and trips to Herne Bay buying hydroponic gear.
Nearly 250 Cannabis Plants Seized Worth £60,000+
- Officers executed two warrants under the Misuse of Drugs Act on 26 September 2019.
- At Faversham, cops found 98 mature cannabis plants and 117 saplings valued at around £38,700. Nerguti was arrested on-site.
- The Herne Bay basement hid another 117 plants worth roughly £21,000.
- Jaku got nabbed while dining nearby; Gjocera was picked up at a local address.
Jail Sentences Delivered at Maidstone Crown Court
After pleading guilty to cannabis production, the trio was sentenced on 23 July 2020.
- Haxhi Gjocera, 31, no fixed address – three years
- Diamant Jaku, 26, Beach Road, Westgate-on-Sea – two years, three months
- Ajet Nerguti, 26, no fixed address – one year, 10 months
Detective Constable Steve Brown said: “These offenders plotted to make a significant amount of money from illegal cannabis cultivation and had a well-organised pattern of offending. There is no place for such criminality in our county.
“We will not hesitate to take robust action against people involved in supplying drugs. Tackling drug dealing is a priority for Kent Police and the public can help by reporting any suspicions via 101 or our website.”
