FIVE Albanian men have made their first appearance before a crown court judge after police uncovered a substantial cannabis farm at a property in Bradford.

The men, aged between 22 and 26, were arrested last month after officers acting on community intelligence raided an address in Bolton Road and were reported to have seized about 200 plants.

Belisha Halil, 23, Xhulio Shuaipi, 22, Elidon Gjoka, 25, Elton Cajkri, 25, Alban Lushi, 26, all of no fixed abode, were brought from custody to appear before Judge Jonathan Rose at Bradford Crown Court yesterday morning.

They are all charged with production of cannabis and Halil, Gjoka and Cajkri entered guilty pleas to the allegation.

Shuaipi and Lushi denied the production charge and Judge Rose fixed their trial to start on March 24 next year.

Following the raid on October 14 the police confirmed that it was the result of “community intelligence.”

“The three defendants who have entered guilty pleas will be sentenced after the trial has finished and the trial judge will determine the appropriate sentence,” Judge Rose told the defendants through an Albanian interpreter.

“But each of you (who have pleaded guilty) must expect to receive a prison sentence for this offence. You are all remanded in custody until March next year.”