Three men have been sentenced for their involvement in a multi-million-pound cannabis growing operation, in which they deceived landlords into allowing them to manage their properties.
The trio operated property management companies that were tied to an investigation into 75 cannabis farms. These farms, located in residential properties, were responsible for producing cannabis worth over £4.5 million on the street.
This crime was uncovered as part of an ongoing police campaign aimed at tackling organised crime in the Harehills area of Leeds.
The three men convicted were found to be running property management companies that convinced legitimate landlords to allow them to manage their properties. However, instead of fulfilling this role, the men permitted members of an organised crime group to establish large-scale cannabis farms within the properties.
The Leeds East Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) uncovered the criminal operation as part of their proactive efforts under the ‘CommUnity Harehills’ project. Through a series of raids in the area, the team successfully seized 7,636 cannabis plants, which amounted to a total of 458kg of cannabis.
In March of the previous year, officers executed a series of warrants across Leeds and carried out arrest enquiries in Coventry as part of a broader investigation into the cannabis growing operation. The action resulted in the detention of three men, with a fourth individual also arrested during the operation. The men were subsequently charged with conspiracy to produce a Class B drug and with acquiring, using, or possessing criminal property, all of which are serious offences under UK law.
Following the arrests, the case was brought to trial, and during a hearing at Leeds Crown Court in January this year, the three defendants – Mirel Neatu, Marius Nedelcu, and Seyan Debnath – pleaded guilty to an alternative charge. The trio admitted to permitting premises to be used for the production of a controlled drug, specifically cannabis, which was in violation of Section 8a of the Misuse of Drugs Act. This charge was related to some of the properties involved in the operation. By pleading guilty, the defendants acknowledged their involvement in facilitating the cannabis farms, which contributed to the illegal enterprise worth millions of pounds.
No evidence was presented against the fourth defendant, leading to his acquittal. The case was then brought to sentencing at Leeds Crown Court this week.
Mirel Neatu, aged 37, of Brackenwood Drive, Leeds, received a prison sentence of 32 months. Marius Nedelcu, aged 40, of Signet Square, Coventry, was sentenced to 28 months behind bars. Seyan Debnath, aged 48, of Lupton Avenue, Leeds, was given a 21-month prison term, which was suspended. In addition to the suspended sentence, Debnath was ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work and a 12-week night-time curfew.
Inspector Alastair Nicholls, who leads the Leeds East Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT), commented on the case, stating, “These men have been convicted for their roles in providing properties for crime gangs that were producing millions of pounds worth of cannabis on an industrial scale. These illegal activities have not only harmed the wider community but also caused significant financial damage to the legitimate landlords, who were forced to cover the repair costs for the extensive damage inflicted on their properties.”
“We painstakingly built up an evidential picture of the involvement of these men as part of an operation that will have dealt a significant blow to this criminal trade, which has been having a detrimental effect on the local community,” said Inspector Alastair Nicholls, who oversees the Leeds East Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT).
He continued, “The operations we’ve carried out not only aim to bring perpetrators to justice but also to prevent the ongoing harm caused by these types of crimes. The cannabis farms that were operated in these properties are not just illegal, they damage the community in many ways, from safety hazards to substantial financial loss for the legitimate landlords. These illegal activities take a toll on everyone, and we’re determined to put an end to them.”
Inspector Nicholls expressed hope that the conviction of these men would bring reassurance to the residents of Harehills, stating, “We trust that this latest success will provide some reassurance to the people in the community and also send a clear message to those involved in this type of crime: Harehills is not somewhere they can operate without facing the consequences.”
He also reassured the public that the Leeds East NPT would continue its efforts to tackle crime head-on. “Under the CommUnity Harehills initiative, we will be continuing to work closely alongside our partner agencies. We are committed to ruthlessly pursuing and disrupting all forms of criminality that cause harm to the local community. Our work doesn’t stop here. We will remain vigilant in ensuring that our neighbourhoods are safe from the threats posed by criminal gangs and illegal operations,” he said.
This initiative highlights the ongoing efforts of local law enforcement to make the area safer and deter future criminal activity.
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