Albanian teenager in court over Selkirk cannabis farm worth almost £500,000

A teenager has appeared in private at Selkirk Sheriff Court in connection with the discovery of a cannabis farm in the town said to be worth almost £500,000.
The former Ali Baba store in Curror Street, Selkirk.The former Ali Baba store in Curror Street, Selkirk.
The former Ali Baba store in Curror Street, Selkirk.

Albanian national Emaliano Boia is charged with producing and being concerned in the supply of the class-B drug.

The 19-year-old made no plea today, January 16, and the case was continued for further examination.

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Boia, of no fixed abode, was remanded in custody and is due to appear in court again next week.

His arrest followed a police raid at an address in Curror Street, Selkirk, on Tuesday leading to the seizure of cannabis plants with an approximate street value of £489,000.

Chief inspector Stuart Reid, Police Scotland’s area commander for the Borders, said: “This was a large-scale recovery which has resulted in a major cultivation being taken out of circulation.

“The supply and misuse of drugs devastates lives and has an adverse impact on our whole society.

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“Tackling the sale and supply of controlled drugs is a top priority for Police Scotland, and the disruption of all drug-related activity is of the utmost importance to us.

“We continue to work to hold those who supply drugs in our community to account and bring them to justice.”

The same building, the former Ali Baba convenience store and a flat upstairs, was also used as a cannabis farm three years ago, resulting in a Vietnamese man being jailed for three years in March 2016.

Illegal immigrant Hang Phan Vo, 23 at the time, admitted being involved in producing and supplying the drug at the former corner shop following the discovery of a 500-plant cannabis farm there in October 2015.