A Bedford landlord has become the first person in the county to be convicted of drug conspiracy for allowing properties to be used as cannabis factories.
Marc Anthony, 59, of Arundel Drive, Bedford, was found guilty of conspiracy to produce cannabis following a trial at Huntingdon Crown Court on Friday, 10 April.
Network of properties
Bedfordshire Police said Anthony owned two properties and acted as a private letting agent for three more, which were used for cannabis cultivation.
Klevist Hoxhaj, 34, of Sudeley Walk, Bedford, and Altin Gjoka, 52, of Queen Street, Bedford, were also involved in running the sites.
The force said the pair managed the day-to-day operation of the cannabis factories, including overseeing workers at the properties.
Hoxhaj pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis during the trial, while Gjoka was also convicted of the same offence.
Investigation and seizures
The investigation began in 2022 after a warrant at a property in Bedford uncovered a cannabis factory.
Further enquiries identified a wider network linked to seven properties across Bedford and outside the county.
Police said more than 600 cannabis plants were seized from three properties, with other sites containing cultivation equipment or being used for waste.
Phone records were also used as evidence, showing communication between the three men and their roles within the operation.
Anthony was found with almost £54,000 in cash when arrested, leading to a further conviction for possession of criminal property.
“First conviction of its kind”
The case was led by Operation Costello, a specialist unit within Bedfordshire Police targeting organised crime.
Investigation officer Summer Hill said: “These three men played a significant role in the cultivation of cannabis across Bedfordshire, and this case represents our first conviction of its kind against a landlord for enabling large-scale drug production.
“Operation Costello places a strong focus on tackling everyone involved in organised crime, taking a bottom-up approach that targets issues such as anti-social behaviour, large-scale illegal cannabis production, and professional enablers who assist criminal groups by supplying materials or allowing their premises to be used.
“Organised crime and drugs underpin much of the violence and exploitation we see, and we are committed to putting an end to this activity across Bedfordshire.
“We need the community to partner with us on this goal by reporting what they see. It could be as simple as reporting anti-social behaviour in their area, behind that could lie a whole host of criminality that we are committed to tackling at the source.”
Sentencing is due to take place early next month.
