A MAN ran a cannabis farm from his flat cultivating plants worth up to £64,800 to pay debt to Albanians was jailed for 20 months.

Alfons Celaj, 29, ran the operation from four rooms at his home in Govanhill in January.

Celaj, a first offender, pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to producing cannabis.

Sheriff Lindsay Wood said: “The sums are very large and there is no alternative to a custodial sentence. You have been used by people to be brought into the country to tend to a fairly significant cannabis cultivation operation.”

Celaj was snared after officers originally turned up at his door for a “completely different inquiry”.

Officers were amazed when they saw what was going on.

Cannabis making equipment, such as fans and plastic sheeting, was also uncovered from the flat in Allison Street.

Mr Allan told the court the value of the plants ranged from £21,000 in the bottom end to £64,000 at the top end of street value, depending on quality.

Celaj was arrested where it was found the Albanian national had been living in the UK illegally a few months prior to the find.

David Mitchell, defending, told the last hearing Celaj was working off a debt of £20,000 to “Albanian individuals”.