Landlord Sentenced to Eight Years for Smuggling Scheme
A property landlord has been jailed for eight years after attempting to smuggle illegal immigrants into the country to work at secret cannabis factories in Hull. James Gordon, 66, of Great Hatfield near Hornsea, was convicted of multiple offences related to cannabis production and facilitating unlawful immigration.
Sophisticated Cannabis Operations Uncovered
Police discovered three separate cannabis factories at premises owned by Gordon, with an estimated wholesale value exceeding £500,000. The first operation was found by chance during an investigation into a serious fire involving multiple vehicles in a quiet rural village. Paperwork with Gordon's name led authorities to the site.
Subsequent searches revealed two adjoining properties on Anlaby Road that had been adapted into a single unit for growing and processing skunk cannabis. When police raided the location, they found 137 plants inside a sophisticated setup with specialized lighting and bypassed electricity systems.
Bus Smuggling Attempt Foiled
Gordon was previously stopped while driving a bus in France, where 10 illegal Albanian immigrants were discovered hiding inside. Hull Crown Court heard that this occurred at a UK control zone in Coquelles, France, on October 5, 2020. Prosecutors argued the immigrants were intended to work on Gordon's cannabis farms once they reached the UK.
During a separate trial at Doncaster Crown Court in September last year, Gordon was convicted of facilitating unlawful immigration related to this incident. Evidence from his phone indicated involvement in illegal immigration activities, with approximately £12,000 in suspicious payments made to his bank accounts.
Defense Claims and Judicial Response
Gordon claimed he had no knowledge of the cannabis being grown at his properties, stating he visited only every three to six months and never noticed any smell. He also asserted that he had been threatened with a knife by two men in Belgium and was forced to transport the Albanian immigrants.
Judge Tahir Khan KC rejected these claims, stating he was satisfied that the purpose of the immigration offence was to put the Albanian men to work growing cannabis on Gordon's behalf. "You had an expectation of significant financial reward," Judge Khan said. "This was repeat offending at a high level."
Additional Criminal Discoveries
In July 2020, police investigating a robbery report returned to the Anlaby Road properties and found a second substantial cannabis operation. Several vehicles were present in the yard, including a black bus registered to Gordon. Later that year, on December 23, police searching the premises found two Albanian men who were subsequently charged and convicted of producing cannabis.
Gordon had denied three offences of being concerned in producing cannabis on separate occasions but was convicted by a jury after a nine-day trial at the end of 2024. The case highlights the intersection of property crime, illegal immigration, and drug production in organized criminal operations.
