Tomasz Waga: Cannabis factory pair linked to murder jailed

The operators of a cannabis factory targeted by a thief who was then murdered have been jailed.

Arjet Melhalla, 43, from Cardiff, was sentenced to three years for his role in a crime group growing cannabis in a house in the Penylan area of the city.

His nephew Ardit Melhalla, 26, from London, was jailed for five years.

Tomasz Waga, 23, was beaten to death by three members of an Albanian gang after he tried steal a cannabis crop worth £120,000.

He and three other men travelled from London in January 2021 to burgle a house on Newport Road, Cardiff, where they knew cannabis was being grown.

He and one of the men began stuffing 572 plants into duvet covers when the alarm was raised by one of the people living in the property.

The court heard how in just over three minutes other members of the gang arrived, beating Mr Waga and throwing him into a car.

Josif Nushi, 27, and Mihal Dhana, 29, were previously given life sentences, while a third man, Hysland Aliaj, was jailed 10 years for manslaughter.

Recorder of Cardiff Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said Arjet Melhalla played a "leading role" in the organised crime group, calling his crimes "serious".

On Tuesday a jury found him guilty of participating in an organised crime group.

Ardit Melhalla was convicted of conspiracy to produce cannabis.

The court heard how detectives were led to the pair after a string of phone calls between them on the the night of the murder.