Police find more than 200 cannabis plants in immigration raid on Doncaster house

The so-called “gardener” responsible for growing the plants, Albanian national Denial Osmani, was in the living room of the property on Brooke Street when it was raided on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old was arrested after police found 140 plants in the basement, 48 in two separate bedrooms and a further 20 in the attic.

Doncaster Magistrates Court heard Osmani told officers he was the "gardener".

His duties included watering the plants, cropping them and switching the lighting on and off. The electrics at the house had been bypassed.

Osmani said he would be paid 25 per cent on the plants' street value if they turned out OK, otherwise he would not get any money.

He pleaded guilty to producing a quantity of cannabis when he appeared in the dock on Thursday.

Osmani's solicitor, Mr Tim Williamson, said his client travelled to the UK about nine months ago to find work legally to pay for his brother's medical care back in Albania.

Mr Williamson added: "He's not responsible for bypassing the electrics, installing the cannabis plants and so on, and as is usual in these cases it's the very bottom of the chain that's coming before the court not those further up."

Osmani was remanded in custody after magistrates referred his case to Sheffield Crown Court for sentencing on 29 June.

Three other Albanian nationals were also arrested when police found more cannabis farms during separate immigration raids executed in Doncaster last week.