Two men to be deported after discovery on Bolton street

The pair have been jailed

Two men have been jailed and are due to be deported after a ‘large-scale’ cannabis grow was discovered in Bolton. Neighbourhood officers raided a property on Newport Street back on December 23 last year, after receiving intelligence.

Greater Manchester Police says it uncovered a ‘substantial and fully operational’ cannabis farm at the property, which had been ‘professionally adapted’ – including the illegal bypass of the electricity supply to power the grow. CCTV footage was observed as part of enquiries which identified a black van attending the property in the days before the raid.

Two men were captured on camera accessing the secured building, and the vehicle was subsequently traced to Leonard Tota. The now-26-year-old was arrested the following day at his home address, where Ridgan Taga, 26, was also located.

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A search of the address uncovered additional cannabis plants, sophisticated growing equipment, a significant quantity of cash, mobile phones, a suspected debtors list, and keys linking both men directly to the Newport Street premises. GMP says the investigation highlighted a coordinated and organised effort to cultivate cannabis at scale.

Tota, of St George’s Road, Bolton, pleaded guilty the production of cannabis, while Taga, of St George’s Road, Bolton, pleaded guilty to production of cannabis, being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possession of criminal property. Tota was sentenced to 14 months’ imprisonment, while Taga was jailed for a year. Both are due to be deported following the completion of their custodial terms.

Police Sergeant Jessica Prudence, of Bolton town centre neighbourhood policing team, said: “This is an excellent result and demonstrates the dedication and effectiveness of our neighbourhood officers in tackling serious drug-related crime. By acting on intelligence and carrying out thorough enquiries, the team has successfully removed a significant cannabis grow from the community and brought those responsible before the courts.

“We rely heavily on information from the public, and the intelligence you provide plays a vital role in enabling us to take action like this. Drug supply is not a victimless crime – it is often linked to wider, harmful criminality that can have a serious impact on our communities. We would continue to encourage anyone with concerns or information about suspected drug activity to come forward and speak to us.”