Two men have been jailed after cannabis worth "nearly £2m" was grown inside a former primary school in West Wales. Alfred Perkola, 44, from Ealing in London, was jailed for three years and nine months and Aldi Gjegjaj, 25, of Salford, was jailed for three years.
They were sentenced at Swansea Crown Court on Wednesday, having previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis. On 4 July 2024, Dyfed-Powys Police intercepted two vehicles travelling together just after the M4. The Volvo and hire van were suspected to be involved in the supply of cannabis and were stopped and searched.
Officers found nearly 100kg of cannabis with a street value of £1m, hidden in laundry bags and mobile phones. A tracking device on the van allowed the force to analyse GPS data which led them to Marble Terrace, Llandysul in the county of Ceredigion. At the scene, officers found what appeared to be a deserted school, the Hen Ysgol Gynradd (Old Primary School).
The three-storey building had its windows boarded up and a strong smell of cannabis. Police uncovered what they described as a "sophisticated set up", which included living quarters. Further investigations led to a further 956 cannabis plants being seized.
Follow our channel and never miss an update. DC Steve Thomas said the sentence was "an excellent result" and the force was "committed to making our force as hostile as possible to drugs". "The interception of these vehicles and the individuals' activities have allowed us to take nearly £2m worth of drugs out of the supply chain that was destined for the streets," he added.
