Jail for man caught with cannabis factory in his Peterborough home

Ardit Cerriku, 29, was arrested at his home address in Bringhurst, Orton Goldhay on 18 January after the Neighbourhood Support Team carried out a drugs warrant.

The team discovered 203 cannabis plants worth up to £170,500 growing across three rooms within the house.

In interview, Cerriku told officers he blamed lockdown for not being able to source a legitimate job and needed to make money to pay off debts.

He acknowledged what he was doing was illegal and he would ‘repent’ for it.

Cerriku was charged with being involved in the production of cannabis which he admitted in court.

Sergeant Jason Hancock, from the Neighbourhood Support Team, said: “This warrant was carried out as part of my team’s work to target organised criminal activity within the county.

“Our work to tackle organised crime groups will not stop – any information passed on to us from our communities helps to form part of the bigger picture, therefore I would urge anyone who has suspicions about drug dealing or production to pass it on to us.”

On Friday (February 19), Cerriku appeared at Cambridge Crown Court where he was sentenced to 20 months in prison.

Information about drug dealing and production can be found on the force website here, https://bit.ly/3bnRXHR, along with options to report information.