Fake Utility Workers Jailed for Powering £21M Cannabis Farms

Eight men posed as legitimate electricians to divert electricity for organized crime cannabis operations across the UK.

The group used a fake company, Elev8 Civils and Utilities Limited, to pose as legitimate utility workers while diverting electricity to cannabis farms.
Their operation spanned 32 factories across the UK, powering cannabis production worth an estimated £21 million.
Investigators uncovered over 100 cannabis farms, many staffed by Albanian nationals who claimed to have been trafficked to the UK.
The men carried out illegal street digs in plain sight, using high-visibility clothing, barriers, and branded vans to appear legitimate.
Sentences ranged from two years to six years for the eight men, including company directors Ross McGinn and Andrew Roberts, who orchestrated the scheme.