Shrewsbury man who conspired to sell cannabis gets suspended sentence

Another man who was arrested during a raid by police was given a suspended sentence at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

Kreshnik Gecaj, 30, and Rehaan Akhter, 24, were said to be part of a wider conspiracy to grow cannabis in the Telford area almost three years ago.

The court heard that Gecaj had been involved in being a "gardener" at a property used to produce cannabis and had rented another house in a false name for the same purpose.

Gecaj, of Crowmere Road, Shrewsbury, was jailed on Thursday after admitting his part in the conspiring to supply cannabis and possession of cocaine.

Akhter, of Stoke-on-Trent, was given eight months suspended for 18 months and 125 hours unpaid work, for his role for being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

Mr Andrew Wilkins, prosecuting, said that Gecaj became involved after the arrest of 52-year-old Richard Scarborough, of Mount Pleasant Drive, Stirchley and Tubraiz Ali Khan, aged 27, of Bishopdale, Brookside, in August, 2012.

He said police had recovered £86,000 in cash and found cannabis growing at a property in Woodseaves, near Newport.

At court, Mr Wilkins said that Gecaj was involved with the production of cannabis at his former address in Portobello, Shrewsbury and had been involved in the renting of houses in Shawfield Close and Summerhill, at Sutton Coldfield, where police recovered hundreds of cannabis plants.

The court heard that Akhter, who had been caught with a "shopping list" of supplies for cannabis production, had been under instruction from Khan, his cousin, and Gecaj, a who had a cannabis and cocaine habit, had also been directed buy others in the conspiracy.

The court heard that at an earlier hearing Scarborough had been jailed for three years and three months and ordered to forfeit the £86,000. Khan was jailed for three years and nine months for his role in the conspiracy.