Police have secured a conviction for drug conspiracy in relation to seven properties used for cannabis growing.

Marc Anthony owned two properties and was the private letting agent for a further three, which he rented out for the cultivation of cannabis.

Klevist Hoxhaj and Altin Gjoka, working alongside Anthony, were renting the properties, located mostly in Bedford.

The trio were also managing the everyday running of the cannabis factories including the people who worked in them. 

Hoxhaj was in control of two properties as the letting agent.

The investigation began following a warrant at a property in Bedford in 2022, where it was discovered there was a cannabis factory. 

An investigation was launched, and between 2022 and 2023 it transpired there was a network of individuals involved in the running of seven related factories.

Several warrants during this period saw more than 600 plants seized across three of the properties, with cultivation paraphernalia recovered from other properties.

Phone records demonstrated conversations between Anthony, Hoxhaj and Gjoka which highlighted their roles within the organised crime network. 

Anthony received financial gain from his role allowing the properties to be used for cannabis cultivation, with Hoxhaj and Gjoka acting as middlemen in the network.

Anthony has now been convicted of conspiracy to produce cannabis. On his arrest, he was caught with almost £54,000 in cash, which he couldn’t account for and led to a further conviction of possession of Criminal Property.

Hoxhaj has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce and Gjoka was convicted of conspiracy to produce cannabis.

The case was investigated by specialist officers from Operation Costello, a Bedfordshire Police team targeting drug empires.

A spokesperson says: “These three men played a significant role in the cultivation of cannabis across Bedfordshire, and this case represents our first conviction of its kind against a landlord for enabling large‑scale drug production.

“Operation Costello places a strong focus on tackling everyone involved in organised crime, taking a bottom‑up approach that targets issues such as anti‑social behaviour, large‑scale illegal cannabis production, and professional enablers who assist criminal groups by supplying materials or allowing their premises to be used.”