Grinning gangster who posed with huge pile of cannabis jailed after police raid £1million marijuana farm
A drugs gang - who posed next to piles of marijuana at their £1million cannabis farm in Manchester - have been jailed.
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Police discovered the large-scale cannabis cultivation operation at an industrial unit in Oldham last June.
The force said the building on Bisley Street was heavily secured with officers needing to use specialist equipment to force entry.
Inside, officers discovered 889 cannabis plants at various stages of growth, with an estimated street value of £986,800.
The three men, all of which are of Albanian descent, were found hiding in the loft space of the building and quickly arrested.
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The force aslo said a small living area was also discovered within the premises, containing four bunk beds, a cooker, fridge and a television displaying live CCTV footage from cameras positioned around the outside of the building.
The living conditions were found to be extremely poor.
An inspection confirmed that the electricity supply had been illegally bypassed and connected directly to the mains at several points, resulting in a substantial amount of electricity being drawn unlawfully.
The three man jailed are:
- Indrid Hysembelli, 26, was sentenced on April 27 2026 to three years and seven months’ imprisonment.
- Xhoi Kasaj, 30, was sentenced on March 23 2026 to two years and three months’ imprisonment.
- Romeo Tosca, 26, sentenced on March 23 2026 to two years and eight months’ imprisonment.
'Highly organised'
Detective Constable Christopher Brown from the Oldham Division said: “This was a significant and highly organised cannabis cultivation operation, producing drugs valued at almost £1 million and posing a serious risk to the local community.
“Drug dealing is not a victimless crime. It is closely linked to violent gang activity and the exploitation of vulnerable people - serious issues that impact communities across Greater Manchester and remain a key focus of our ongoing enforcement work.
“These sentences reflect the seriousness of the offence and send a clear message that those involved in the production and supply of illegal drugs will be identified, arrested and brought before the courts.
“We will continue to act on intelligence, execute warrants like this one and disrupt organised criminal activity wherever it operates across Greater Manchester.”