A 21-year-old was smuggled into the country to act as a gardener in a cannabis growing operation that was capable of producing a “significant” quantity of drugs for commercial use.

Marjus Klosi, was found at an address in Lowry Cole Road, Sprowston, when police carried out a raid - as part of a number across the city - in February this year.

Norwich Crown Court heard Klosi, who had been acting as a gardener, was found at the property in Sprowston along with a total of 138 cannabis plants.

Klosi, an Albanian national, was to tell the authorities that pressure had been put on him by the people that smuggled him into the country.

Klosi, who spoke through an interpreter, appeared in court on Thursday (June 11) to be sentenced having previously admitted cultivation of cannabis on February 27 this year,

Sentencing Klosi, who is currently being held at HMP Norwich, Judge Stephen Holt said the operation had been capable of producing a “significant quantity for commercial use”.

He accepted that Klosi had been put under some kind of pressure by those who had smuggled him into the country and that he had played a “lesser role”.

But Judge Holt said the only sentence he could pass was one of immediate imprisonment and jailed him for seven months.

The court heard Klosi, who was represented by Laura Kenyon, had pleaded guilty to the offence and had no previous convictions.

He is the latest person to be jailed this week following a series of police raids in February.

Ardit Ademaj, 24, was also jailed for seven months after admitting cultivation of cannabis following a raid on a property in Braithwait Close, Bowthorpe on February 27.

Officers found at least 130 cannabis plants in various stages of growth at the address, worth around £50,000.

Meanwhile Klevi Haxhaj, 25, and Ditmir Avdia, 29, were found in the loft and in loft insulation at a property in Middleton Crescent, Costessey, following a police raid on the same date.

A total of 477 plants were found in eight rooms at the property, a wall of which had been knocked through as part of the operation.

It was discovered after members of the public went to police about the “stench”.

Both defendants were jailed for a year after admitting cultivation of cannabis.