Discoteca No Problem was being used as a cannabis factory last year (Credit: Google)
Officers raided a former club that was being used as a cannabis factory in High road in July 2021.
They stormed the building through a roller shutter at the back of the property and three other doors which had been locked with padlocks and chains.
“On entry, no one was inside but there were four rooms which had cannabis plants from early stages to nearly fully grown,” said a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police.
“No one was located initially however a hole in the roof was discovered and two males were found outside. It is apparent both males would have fled through the roof and climbed down to evade police.”
More than 600 cannabis plants were recovered (Credit: MPS)
Erenik Ahmatia, 27, of Barking, was found walking away from the property in a dirty yellow shirt. On his phone he had videos of the cannabis that had been found in the site.
Another man, Muja Klodian, 24, from Derby, was spotted hiding behind some stairs in a courtyard next to the property.
Officers recovered around 220 cannabis plants that were nearly fully grown and 400 smaller plants. Inside the property were two beds, cigarettes and food.
“A significant find of this nature could generate over half a million pounds in illicit money,” added the spokesperson.
Four rooms were being used to grow plants (Credit: MPS)
Both men were arrested for cultivation of cannabis and abstracting electricity.
Ahmatia pleaded guilty to producing Class B drugs and was sentenced to 13 months imprisonment on Tuesday, 20 September 2022.
Klodian was sentenced to eight months imprisonment in September 2021.
For more on this story, and the latest on our other local and national news, listen to Time 107.5FM
Tags: Redbridge, Ilford, Barking, Drugs, Drug Crime, Cannabis
