British cannabis industry Albanian immigrant recruitment lurks.

Migrants are drawn to “bar houses” without having a complete understanding of the risks that this unlawful activity poses to the United Kingdom while they are seeking refuge there.

The BIRN Network and the Voice of America worked together to produce this content, which was compiled by journalist Klodiana Lala. We are grateful for their partnership.

Over the course of the past few years, tens of thousands of Albanians have made their way to the United Kingdom. Although the majority are well integrated, there are nevertheless individuals who have chosen the path of quick and easy profit, becoming a part of the criminal industry of cultivating cannabis indoors, in what are known as “grass houses.”

According to footage that was captured by British police, one of them, a man we will refer to as Milo, was taken into custody. Milo volunteered to share his tale with BIRN on the condition that he remain anonymous.

“A shepherd’s house for Albanians, for those who have suffered it, is a real hell.”Those individuals who are unaware of the concept of lek paper continue to run away with it, just like Kuksian did. For a period of one month, they claim that they manufacture lek paper, but this is a fraudulent and phantom advertisement, he says.

The traditional profile of an Albanian immigrant who is included in a “barn house” is not anything that Milo possesses. A married man with three children, he is in the middle of his 50s age. Prior to beginning his journey to the United Kingdom, he was employed in the field of public administration and was also involved in business. It was in the year 2020 when he made his trip to London with the assistance of a trafficker, to whom he paid sixteen thousand pounds.

I got a taxi to get here, and I arrived in London without any delays. We are now able to traverse the Channel Tunnel. We were placed inside the trunk of a ‘Audi A6’ by the driver, who was also our driver. Until we arrived in London, we remained confined to the luggage for close to forty minutes,” he says.

A profile of individuals who are at danger of emigration and engagement in unlawful activities has been developed by the Albanian police with the assistance of the information that was provided by the British authorities regarding these individuals. It has been said by Besfort Lamallari, who is the deputy minister of the interior, that the majority of them are males between the ages of 20 and 45.

“In terms of geographic distribution, it’s all areas, but mainly the areas with the lowest economic development stand out, and we generally talk about categories that have low education and in some cases secondary education,” adds Lamallari in response.

The researchers who have investigated this new wave of migration have pointed out that the variables that are driving it are complicated, but the reasoning behind those who are leaving is straightforward.

“It begins with the statement, ‘I have a need, a need to materialize ambition, I want to do something in life, or I have an economic need.'” I take a glance around, and I notice that the choices I have are really restricted. I am unable to look for a support. It is not the social system that I am surrounded by that I have faith in, whether it be the political system or the incompetence of the institutions. As a consequence of this, the individual tends to experience feelings of hopelessness, lethargy, and despair, as explained by Redion Qirjazi, an expert in immigration relations.

According to information gathered by the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford, approximately 16,000 Albanians submitted asylum applications to the United Kingdom in the year 2022. Of them, approximately 12,000 came in the United Kingdom in dinghies and small boats that traveled via the English Channel. The vast majority originate from less developed regions of Albania and have a difficult time assimilating into the United Kingdom.

Young Albanians with educational levels that are below the norm are recruited by criminal groups, as it is very difficult for them to formally integrate into the labor market, according to Fabian Zhilla, an expert in the field of criminology.

“Criminal organizations, who had a stable infrastructure and did not have significant demands for their talents, instantly incorporated them by activating them, either in the cocaine trafficking or even in the drug homes. This was done in order to integrate them. A simple act of loyalty is all that is asked of them, according to Zhilla.

“Grass houses” are a type of illegal enterprise that involves not only growers but also investors, real estate agents, and frequently landlords who are compensated with a portion of the narcotic that is grown.

It is recommended that around fifty thousand pounds be invested in a grass house that has seventy roots. The soil, bulbs, filters, motors, pipelines, and other equipment are transported inside the house in a stealthy manner during a time when the neighbors are gone at work. Growers are more concerned about gangs plundering “grass houses” than they are about the British police.

Milo relates an incident that occurred during the fight. The incident occurred after masked thieves knocked down the entrance of the house where he was staying and entered the kitchen while holding baseball bats each in their hands.

It was the first time I had to deal with robbers, and they were in the shepherd’s house. You should get the baseball bat because we are facing the opposite direction from them. There are three of us and fourteen of them. During the argument, the kitchen was thrown out of place, and the plates, spoons, and forks all made creaking sounds. “After an hour of fighting with the thieves, neither the neighbor nor the police answered the phone, and there was nothing,” he claimed.

There were around 1,500 Albanian people who were detained in the United Kingdom in the year 2023. The vast majority of the convictions are connected to bars and pubs. Young people are frequently enticed to participate in these activities without having a complete understanding of the legal and personal repercussions attached to them. They are enticed by the promise of easy money and a life of luxury.

“A great number of young people are uninformed, and as soon as they go there, they are confronted with a circumstance that they believe to be the beginning, and they are lying about it. It is quite challenging to escape the criminal world once you have entered it, according to Zhilla, an expert in the field.

Because of the covert nature of child recruiting into criminal activities, it was difficult for law enforcement agencies to discover and counteract these actions. Experts believe that it is of the utmost importance to educate young people about the risks and repercussions of participating in activities of this nature, as well as to provide them with alternatives that are both legal and sustainable for their future in the country.

Migrants are drawn to “bar houses” without having a complete understanding of the risks that this unlawful activity poses to the United Kingdom while they are seeking refuge there. The BIRN Network and the Voice of America worked together to produce this content, which was compiled by journalist Klodiana Lala. We are grateful for their partnership.