Two Albanian immigrants were caught trying to escape out the back door when police raided a cannabis factory, with plants worth more than £700,000 inside.

Anton Biba, 22, and Arnold Uku, 27, were asleep when police executed a drugs warrant at a property in Mayflower Way, Harleston.

Cannabis discovered during raidCannabis discovered during raid (Image: Norfolk Police) Norwich Crown Court heard police discovered 770 plants at the industrial unit.

Norwich Crown CourtNorwich Crown Court (Image: Peter Walsh, Newsquest) John Morgans, prosecuting, said Biba and Uku were caught by officers as they tried to flee out the back of the property.

He said the premises had been used for "large scale production of cannabis".

Five rooms on the ground floor and three rooms on the next level were "full of cannabis" all at different stages of growth after the raid on June 7.

Mr Morgans said the two defendants, who are both gardeners, had been staying in two bedrooms at the unit and were both asleep when police executed the warrant. 

Cannabis discovered in the raidCannabis discovered in the raid (Image: Norfolk Police) He described the farm as a "professional set up" and "clearly an operation capable of growing industrial quantities for commercial use".

Biba and Uku, both of no fixed address, appeared for sentence on Wednesday (September 4) after they admitted being concerned in the production of cannabis.

Arnold Uku (left) and Anton BibaArnold Uku (left) and Anton Biba (Image: Norfolk Police) Jailing Biba for two years and Uku for 27 months, Lord Justice Edis said it had been an "industrial scale operation" in which they were both custodians of the drugs.

Will Carter, mitigating for Biba, said he came to this county illegally "in the back of a lorry" having owed money in his own country. He was "working to pay off a debt" in the UK. 

Andrew Oliver, for Uku, said he had not offended before but had debts in Albania leading to him working here to "pay off debts".