Arbroath man had cannabis hanging garden in secret room at business premises
A secret hanging garden featuring nearly £9,000 worth of cannabis was initially missed by police during a raid on a businessman’s lock-up unit.
A secret hanging garden featuring nearly £9,000 worth of cannabis was initially missed by police during a raid on a businessman’s lock-up unit.
Radomir Hrbac had more than 250 branches of the illicit plant draped from string drying off when his cannabis farm was eventually discovered by police.
Hrbac, 36, had built a false wall into his two-storey industrial unit in Arbroath to create a six metre squared area where he could secretly grow cannabis.
The smell from the plants attracted the tenant of a neighbouring unit and the owner called in the police to investigate after being informed about suspicions.
Officers raided the premises and inspected both floors without finding the hanging garden which was behind a partition wall on the mezzanine level of the unit.
However, due to the strong smell of cannabis they waited in the unit until Hrbac appeared and he admitted having a secret garden behind a purpose-built partition.
Depute fiscal Sue Ruta told Perth Sheriff Court: “The accused was renting the property. It was a two-storey building.
“A partition was built on the mezzanine level with a small room concealed behind.
“Access could only be gotten to it by using a ladder.
“The owner had been approached by a neighbouring businessman who believed the cannabis smell was coming from the premises and had been evident for a number of weeks.
“Despite there being no windows the police could smell cannabis and believed there was a cultivation inside.
“They executed a search warrant at 7pm the same day. Having forced entry there was nothing visibly obvious at first and police had initially searched both levels. But the smell was strong and the accused arrived 15 minutes later.”
She said Hrbac then pointed the concealed hatch out to the officers and held his hands up and said: “It’s mine. This is my lock-up. I’m really sorry for the hassle I’ve caused.”
The prosecutor added: “Access was gained to the partitioned area. They found a large number of hanging cannabis branches. They were hanging from pieces of string suspended from ceiling beams.
“There were 255 branches in total on 11 pieces of string. He was interviewed and admitted he had been cultivating cannabis. He was adamant it was not for selling.”
She told the court that the damp drugs weighed more than half a kilo and had a maximum potential street value of £8,580, but conceded it would weigh less once dried.
Hrbac, of Keptie Street, Arbroath, admitted producing cannabis at Peasiehill Road in Arbroath between March 25 and July 25 last year. Sentence was deferred for reports.
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