Three jailed over town centre cannabis farms

Three men have been jailed for a total of more than five years following the discovery of two cannabis farms in a Borders town centre.

Police raided a former bookmakers on Channel Street in Galashiels in March last year where they found more than 1,000 plants - and information about another drugs cultivation in an old Woolworths store across the road.

Selkirk Sheriff Court was told the total street value of the haul recovered at the two sites was between £900,000 and £2.4m.

Three men from Albania were given jail terms ranging from 18 months to 24 months for their role in the drugs farms.

Joanis Melcani, 27, and Laorent Balla, 21, were jailed for 24 months and 18 months respectively after they admitted being concerned in the production of cannabis.

They had been found hiding in a room concealed by a false wall in the former Woolworths store.

Besim Velija, 64, was given a jail sentence of 21 months in connection with the cannabis discovered at a former Ladbrokes store after he admitted being involved in supplying the drug.

A fourth Albanian national, who had previously admitted his involvement in the Ladbrokes cannabis farm, was unable to be sentenced after refusing to cooperate with a court-appointed translator.

Sheriff Peter Paterson warned Shpetim Halil, 36, he was doing himself no favours and described the situation as "highly unsatisfactory".

Sentence was deferred until 27 January and he was remanded in custody.

Last month, Petrit Musta, 47, who is also from Albania, was jailed for 28 months after he pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis after being found trying to escape the former bookmakers through the fire escape.

All the jail sentences were backdated to 27 March last year when the men were first remanded in custody.