Man jailed after police uncover huge cannabis farm in Shoebury industrial unit: See inside

A man has been jailed after police discovered a large cannabis farm hidden inside an industrial unit in Shoeburyness, where more than 700 plants were being grown.

Endri Metaj, 40, was arrested in Terminal Close on 15 April 2025 after officers from Southend Local Policing Team and Southend CID raided the premises and found rows of plants at various stages of cultivation.

The operation, set up on an industrial estate, was described as a sophisticated grow designed for large-scale drug production.

Metaj was charged with being concerned in the production of cannabis and, shortly before his trial was due to begin at Basildon Crown Court last month, he pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison.

At his sentencing on 26 September, the court also ordered him to pay a £187 victim surcharge and approved the forfeiture and destruction of all the plants and related equipment, including lighting systems, fans and mobile phones found at the scene.

A second man, aged 25, was also sentenced the day after the discovery. He was jailed for 35 weeks after admitting the production of cannabis.

Following the case, investigating officer PC Hollie Ambrose said:
“Officers have prevented a large quantity of controlled Class B drugs from reaching the streets of our city. Drugs cause harm to individuals and can lead to associated crimes and anti-social behaviour.

“But drug supply and cultivation also helps to fund organised crime, which brings with it violence and intimidation, causing further harm to residents and businesses.

“We are committed to tackling drugs and the problems they bring to our neighbourhoods, as this latest seizure shows.

“However, we can’t do it without your help. If you believe someone is involved in drugs or other criminal activity, please report it to us. We won’t tolerate people exploiting vulnerable people in our communities.”

You can make reports online to Essex Police at: www.essex.police.uk/ro

Cannabis remains the most commonly used illegal drug in the UK, with police forces frequently uncovering large-scale grows like this across Essex and beyond. According to government data, the UK cannabis market is estimated to be worth billions each year, with some organised criminal networks generating hundreds of thousands of pounds from a single grow operation.

Police say cannabis farms of this scale are often linked to modern slavery and the exploitation of vulnerable people, who are sometimes forced to live in dangerous conditions to tend to the plants.

Metaj’s sentencing marks another step in Southend Police’s ongoing crackdown on drug-related crime in the city.