Man jailed as police find cannabis farm at Mountain Gate Inn

Prosecutor Alycia Carpanini told Swansea Crown Court that Dyfed-Powys Police raided the Mountain Gate Inn in Tycroes on May 21.

As they searched the property, they found two function rooms with “a large amount of cannabis plants”, as well as equipment used for growing cannabis, she said.

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102 plants were found in the first room, whilst 205 plants were found in the second room. These had each grown to around four to five feet.

In a separate room, 480 plants were found in a nursery state.

Dyfed-Powys Police experts estimated the plants could have produced a yield of between 20kg and 62kg of cannabis, Ms Carpanini said.

Upstairs the officers found a further room full of equipment, and there was a room which appeared to be a living quarters – with a bed, a wardrobe containing men’s clothes, a fridge, a coffee machine, and a TV inside.

Ms Carpanini said that a cup of coffee in the room was still lukewarm, which led the officers to believe someone was still at the address.

26-year-old Beni Mirashi was found hiding under the insulation in the attic, and was arrested.

A large amount of cannabis was found growing at The Mountain Gate Inn. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)

The court was told that around £100,000 of damage had been caused to the vacant building by setting up and running the cannabis farm inside.

“All the evidence is that this was a serious organised criminal gang moving in to the property,” Judge Catherine Richards said. She added that she hoped Dyfed-Powys Police were looking further in to the case to identify those responsible for setting up the operation.

Mirashi, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to production of cannabis on the basis that his role was limited to that of a gardener.

The court heard that Mirashi had entered the UK illegally in August 2023 and was homeless until he was “offered a job by two Albanians”.

“He was taken to the premises in Tycroes and told what he had to do,” Ms Carpanini said.

“The defendant did not leave the premises as he was fearful of threats made against him and his family.”

“The defendant was not being paid for his role and was not to receive any share of the profits.”

Ms Carpanini said there was no evidence to support that the defendant was a victim of modern slavery.

A major cannabis farm was uncovered at the vacant Mountain Gate Inn in Tycroes. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)

“This is a case we are unfortunately all too familiar with in these courts, where the person looking after the plants is arrested and those higher up seem to avoid detection,” said Kate Williams, in mitigation.

“This defendant came to the UK last year. Unfortunately he found he was having difficulty being able to support himself, not having the right to work here legally. That made him an easy target for the gangs that operate these kind of operations.”

Ms Williams said Mirashi recognised that coming to the UK illegally was “very foolish”.

“He knows that he will face an inevitable prison sentence and he simply wants to return to Albania to his family,” she said.

Judge Richards sentenced Mirashi to 11 months in prison.

“Given your circumstances you may be moved to a deportation centre, but that is not an issue for this court,” she said.