TWO men caught at a huge £9.5m cannabis factory have walked free from court after it emerged they were victims of human trafficking.

Orges Rizaj, 28, and Agustin Grembi, 27, pleaded guilty last June, but were then today acquitted in what a judge described as an "exceptional" case.

They had been held after police swooped on the converted industrial building in Possilpark, Glasgow.

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Officers uncovered "a very large and sophisticated" set-up consisting of 3,000 cannabis plants during the raid on November 2 2020.

Rizaj and Grembi were remanded in custody having admitted to a charge of being involved in the production of the drug and sentencing was adjourned.

A hearing then last month was told how the Home Office had since got information the pair had instead been trafficked into the country from their homeland of Albania to work at the factory.

Rizaj's lawyer told the court extensive investigations had been carried out prior to him pleading guilty last June.

Billy Lavelle, defending, added: "All these matters were considered including the special defence of coercion.

"I now know from further consultations that Mr Rizaj was fearful of telling me what the true circumstances were due to the effect it would have on him and his family back in Albania.

"I would not have plead guilty if trafficking was an issue."

Advocate Kevin Henry said Grembi was in a similar position.

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After the hearing was adjourned once more, the case called again yesterday at the High Court in Glasgow.

Both Mr Lavelle and Mr Henry asked for the guilty pleas to be withdrawn.

Prosecutor Greg Farrell then told the court: "I can confirm there is no opposition to the guilty pleas being withdrawn and the Crown will now accept not guilty pleas."

Lord Mulholland said: "This is an exceptional step and I am satisfied there are exceptional circumstances."

Rizaj and Grembi - who appeared in the dock from Barlinnie jail - were then spoken to by him.

The judge had previously been outspoken against human trafficking in his former role as Scotland's Lord Advocate and the support needed for victims.

He told the pair: "Your pleas of guilty have been withdrawn and the Crown has indicated they will accept pleas of not guilty effectively due to your trafficking status.

"You were kept in prison over Christmas and New Year so that those acting for you could arrange accommodation for both of you, so that you are not homeless and at risk.

"Your pleas of not guilty being accepted, you are discharged from the dock and free to go."

The hearing last year was told how the raid occurred at the property in Strathmore Road, Possilpark.

A man known as "Danny" paid a £5,000 deposit to rent the building in February 2020.

This individual was neither Rizaj or Grembi.

Police had to use saws to get in after a tip-off about the drug farm.

The then prosecutor Euan Cameron said: "They discovered that the building had been divided into 13 separate growing rooms each transformed for the industrial cultivation of cannabis."

Specialist lighting had been rigged up as well as a "complex venting system" to try and keep out the stench of cannabis.

A living area had also been added with a bedroom, kitchen and bathroom.

A total of 2,924 mature cannabis plants were seized along with several hundred more "seedlings".

Mr Cameron: "It would be reasonable to conclude given the nature of the operation...that the maximum street level value of the entire crop falls between £6.5m and £9.44m."

Rizaj told police he had been in Scotland for two months.

Both were quizzed about then alleged human trafficking.

Mr Cameron: "Rizaj said he had come to the UK for a better life and paid 18,000 Euros to those who arranged transport.

"That sum was still outstanding and he was working to pay it off."

He denied at the time being forced to remain at the cannabis farm.

Rizaj's lawyer Mr Lavelle said last June: "He was not being paid anything. He was paying off the transportation (to the UK)."