Two Albanian nationals have been sentenced to jail time after police discovered a large-scale cannabis farm hidden in underground bunkers in Warwickshire, England. Gjergivatal Pjeter, 33, and Eldoh Sylaj, 31, pleaded guilty to involvement in the production of the Class-B drug.
The operation, estimated to be worth £500,000, was found at a rural site near Wolston. Authorities described the setup as reminiscent of the film "The Gentlemen," which features drug gangs operating hidden cannabis farms.
Police executed a warrant on August 19, leading to the arrest of five individuals. However, only Pjeter and Sylaj were subsequently charged.
Dramatic bodycam footage released by police showed officers accessing the hidden facility through a hatch concealed within the floor of a shipping container. The underground rooms were equipped for cultivating cannabis plants.
Pjeter, from Birmingham, and Sylaj, from Maidstone, were each sentenced to 22 months in prison on Monday, October 26, at Warwick Crown Court. They were also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £187, and the court mandated the destruction of the seized cannabis.
The discovery and its clandestine nature drew parallels to the 2019 Guy Ritchie film "The Gentlemen," starring Hugh Grant and Matthew McConaughey, which depicted similar underground drug operations. The film has also inspired a popular Netflix spin-off series.
A spokesperson for Rugby Police commented on the discovery, stating, "Our officers discovered a cannabis grow worth an estimated £500,000. The warrant turned up an underground grow not dissimilar to something from Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen, with an entry hatch in an inconspicuous shipping container on the surface."