Police photos have revealed the scale of a cannabis farm run by an Albanian drugs gang at a Harrogate home owned by landlady Yoko Banks.
Banks, 74, of Scargill Road, was constantly in touch with the drug conspirators but played no active part in the cultivation process.
She was jailed for three-and-a-half years in August 2021 after she admitted three counts of being concerned in the supply of cannabis
Last week she was ordered to repay over £142,333 of illegally earned money under the Proceeds of Crime Act at Leeds Crown Court.
The photos by North Yorkshire Police show how one of her homes on Alexandra Road, close to King’s Road, not far from Harrogate town centre, was completely transformed to cultivate the plants. Even the stairs were covered in cannabis.
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Detective Inspector Janine Mitchell, head of financial investigation at the constabulary, said today:
“The Proceeds of Crime Act allows us to deprive criminals of their illegal income. We will take every opportunity to use the legislation to its capacity to ensure no-one benefits from crime.
“In this case Banks had knowingly rented out high-end Harrogate properties to the organised crime gang in return for thousands of pounds in rental income.
“If you suspect anyone of living off illegally earned income, do not hesitate to call the police. If you don’t want to talk to us, you can report it to Crimestoppers anonymously.”
Cannabis plants propped up in the house on Alexandra Road.
One of the rooms at the house.
The windows were blocked off to prevent people seeing inside.
The cannabis-covered stairs.
