Tomasz Waga: Two men guilty of murdering drug rival

Tomasz Waga was found dead in Cardiff last year

Two men have been found guilty of murdering a man whose body was found in a Cardiff street.

Josif Nushi, 27, Mihal Dhana, 29, both from Cardiff, killed Tomasz Waga, 23, after he tried to steal drugs from a cannabis factory in a house.

Newport Crown Court heard Mr Waga's body was found in a street in Penylan, Cardiff, on 28 January 2021.

Hysland Aliaj, 31, of no fixed abode, was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury.

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Two other defendants, Gledis Mehalla and Mario Qatoand, had previously been cleared of murder.

Earlier this month, Mr Justice Cotter directed a jury to clear Mr Mehalla as there was not enough evidence against him, while in November Mr Qato was cleared of murder and of taking part in organised crime.

In a statement, Mr Waga's family said: "Tomasz paid too great a price for the events that unfolded the night he lost his life.

"We do not wish for such tragedy to be experienced by any other family and urge individuals to consider the choices they make and the impact of their involvement, wilful or coerced, on their close ones.

"He will remain in our hearts forever."

Mihal Dhana (left) and Josif Nushi have been convicted for the murder of Tomasz Waga

The court previously heard Mr Waga was killed after he and another man, Carl Davies, had travelled from London and tried to steal cannabis crop worth £120,000.

An organised crime gang responsible for the factory, in a house on Newport Road in Cardiff, then "descended" on the scene and attacked the burglars.

Mr Waga was beaten with a baseball bat, a bamboo cane and half a house brick before being dragged out of the house and thrown into a car.

He suffered 25 injuries to his head and mouth, bruising to his chest and damage to his ribs, arms and a degree of swelling and bruising to his brain.

After his death, he was dumped in Westville Road and later found by a passer-by the same evening.

The cause of death was given as obstruction to the airways by blood.

A member of the public found 23-year-old Tomasz Waga's body, in Penylan, Cardiff

Prosecutor Greg Bull KC told the jury that the defendants did not intend to kill Mr Waga, but to "do serious harm and teach him a lesson".

"In 2020, an organised criminal gang of Albanian nationals established a commercial cannabis-growing factory in a residential area of Cardiff," he said.

"It was a well-run, organised, and profitable enterprise. It was so successful and profitable that members of the gang were prepared to protect it, if necessary, at all costs."

Following the killing, Nushi, Dhana and Aliaj fled to Albania but were eventually extradited back to the UK before standing trial.

Nushi, of Ninian Road, Roath, and Dhana, of Colum Road, Cathays, were also found guilty of wounding with intent, in respect to Carl Davies, while Aliaj, of no fixed abode was found guilty of unlawful wounding.

Mr Justice Cotter remanded all three defendants in custody to appear for their sentencing on 10 January 2023.

South Wales Police said it was one of the most complex investigations ever undertaken by them, with inquiries across UK and Europe and arrests made in Albania, France and Germany.