Drugs gang jailed after cannabis raid on nightclub

Some of the cannabis plants found inside a former nightclub in Ipswich

Members of a drugs gang have been jailed after hundreds of cannabis plants were discovered inside an abandoned town centre nightclub.

Suffolk Police officers seized up to 600 plants from a cannabis factory found in Arcade Street, Ipswich, on 12 January, after a tip-off from a member of the public.

The derelict building-turned-drugs den was once home to Distinction nightclub, and before that Sound Academy.

Sander Paloka, 36, Kristian Kaza, 28, Kristian Lleshi, 28, Florent Tukaj, 25, Dorjan Gjorka, 28, and Anxhelo Preci, 28, were jailed at Ipswich Crown Court last Friday.

Bags filled with seized cannabis plants outside the former Distinction nightclub, in Arcade Street, Ipswich

The six men, of no fixed abode but from the Ipswich area, had been charged with the cultivation of cannabis after the raid resulted in their arrests earlier this year.

Following the hearing last week, Gjorka was jailed for four years, Paloka for 20 months, and Kaza, Lleshi, Tukaj and Preci for 22 months.

Speaking previously, Insp Dan Fiske said the public was to thank for enabling the force to "develop the intelligence which ultimately produced this find".

A police cordon was put in place outside the former nightclub-turned-drugs den as Suffolk Police carried out its investigations

"This sort of information is the lifeblood of our work and is invaluable in helping us build a picture of criminal activity," he added.

"The location of the cannabis factory was a busy location in the town centre and may have caused some disruption.

"I’d like to thank the public for their patience while we conducted necessary initial enquiries."