An Albanian man has been jailed for three years for producing cannabis in Kilmarnock – having been caught just days after arriving illegally in the UK.

Emilian Bajrami, 38, pleaded guilty to three charges when he appeared at the town’s sheriff court.

He had been charged with producing cannabis and being concerned in supplying the drugs to others after being arrested on November 7 last year at a property in Methven Road.

He also admitted entering the UK in breach of a deportation order, having the country in a lorry from Belgium.

The court was told that Bajramil, described in court papers as a prisoner at HMP Kilmarnock, was found in the property with around £70,000 worth of cannabis, including large and seedling plants.

The fiscal depute told the court that police attended the address in Methven Road around 9:25am on November 7 after receiving intelligence of a possible cannabis cultivation.

Officers witnesses heavy condensation on the windows and detected a strong smell of cannabis, as well as the sound of extractor fans within the property.

Police gained entry into the property through the back door, and found cannabis cultivations in downstairs and upstairs rooms, with the Bajrami found in a small living area.

He was taken to Kilmarnock police station while officers secured the property and obtained a search warrant.

A search then uncovered a drying room on the second floor of the property, with a total of 81 large plants and 234 seedling pants recovered, as well as around seven kilos of cannabis in the drying room.

The fiscal depute told the court that the maximum potential value of the cultivation was around £70,000.

Bajrami’s lawyer told the court that his client was married with a seven-year-old son, and had been in the UK for just one week before his arrest.

He had looked to secure legitimate employment and was given a promise of a painting job, but was taken to the Kilmarnock property instead.

He had been there for three days prior to the police raid, and told the court that Bajrami “recognised what he was being tasked to do”.

Sheriff Mark Thorley told Bajrami that he had no option other than a custodial sentence, due to the significant sums involved in the offences.

Bajrami was jailed for 36 months, backdated to November 8, 2023.