Two men were found living in the kitchen area of a West Yorkshire warehouse where almost £1million worth of cannabis had been grown.

The plants - which yielded a weight of between 50kg and 100kg - were discovered by police executing a search warrant at the former factory in Malvern Road, Knottingley on November 14 last year. Officers found "a warehouse that was room after room and each room had been turned over to the production of cannabis," prosecutor Carmel Pearson told Leeds Crown Court on Friday.

Ms Pearson added: "There was extraction equipment, lighting and it seems a large number of plants discovered. Not just in the first part of the industrial unit officers entered but in room after room, into a loft over one of the rooms as well."

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In the kitchen area, police found four beds, food in a fridge and "it was obvious these were the living quarters." Three men were seen running and two men - Zef Gjoka, 35, and Dritan Mrozi, 33, were caught. Ms Pearson said 11,010 plants were found, with a street value of just under £1million. She said the equipment was worth around £30,000. Gjoka and Mrozi - both Albanian national - were arrested, interviewed and pleaded guilty to production of cannabis at a plea, trial and preparation hearing.

Mitigating for Gjoka, Andrew Stranex, told the court he had been let into the country by border force in August last year and worked in London as a decorator. He said the married dad's job "dried up" and "he turned to people who offered him the opportunity to work and he was brought to this area and the unit we know about now."

Mr Stranex said the cannabis farm was already set up before Gjoka was taken to it. He said: "He accepts that what he did was wrong but saw it as an opportunity and a chance to improve his family's life. It is his intention when he has served his sentence to return to his family in Albania."

Mrozi had come to the UK for work
Mrozi had come to the UK for work

The court heard the defence of modern slavery was raised in the lower court and following an investigation by the Home Office, it was found it did not stand in the case of Gjoka. Ms Pearson said: "In the case of his co-accused there seems to be some strength in the argument that there was some element he was forced into the country but the crown take the view not to proceed in any event."

Mitigating for Mrozi, Harry Crowson, said his client had a brother and father at home in Albania. He said he had a lesser role and he "came to this country with the hope of finding work and getting a better life." Mr Crowson said: "He's a construction worker and had the intent of using his roofing experience. In the absence of a work permit he was unable to do so. He's resigned to going back home to his family."

Recorder Alex Menary jailed Gjoka for three years and Mrozi for two-and-a-half years. They will serve half of that sentence before being released on licence in the community.

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