In an exclusive investigation, we spoke to a man who served two and a half years in prison for working in London’s illegal cannabis houses. This is the first time he has spoken publicly about what really happens behind closed doors.
After spending more than a year locked inside properties and subsequently serving a lengthy prison sentence, this former worker has broken his silence to expose the exploitation, life-threatening fire risks and systematic entrapment that defines London’s hidden cannabis operations.
In this exclusive interview, obtained after months of investigation, he reveals how workers are recruited abroad, trapped by debt from day one, locked inside unsafe houses for months, and ultimately face inevitable arrest and imprisonment.
How did you get involved in this?
“I was recruited outside the UK. They offered me work and promised a share of the profits. They paid for my travel to Britain, but from the first day, you owe money. You are not free.”
What was life like inside these houses?
“You don’t live like a human being. You are locked inside. I couldn’t leave the property for up to three months at a time. Food came only once a week. There was no hot water, poor hygiene, the properties were severely damaged. The rooms were barely fit to live in.”
You mentioned serious fire risks. Can you explain?
“Nothing is done safely. Fires can happen at any moment. The electrical work is never done by proper electricians – it’s all amateur. They make illegal connections directly into three-phase power networks, even into the main street electricity cables. It’s not just dangerous for us inside – entire streets are at risk.”
What happened when police raided?
“When the police come, everything ends instantly. There’s chaos, violence. Almost everyone gets caught sooner or later. And when you’re arrested, you get a long prison sentence – no matter what they promised you at the start.”
You were sentenced to two and a half years. Looking back now, what would you tell others?
“If someone is thinking about trying this, I tell them not to make the same mistake I did. I lost more than a year of my life locked inside those houses, and in the end, I went to prison for two and a half years. It’s not worth it.”
The Reality Behind the Promises
This exclusive testimony, obtained after extensive investigation, reveals the true cost of London’s illegal cannabis operations. Behind promises of easy money lies a system of exploitation where workers are imprisoned in unsafe conditions, neighbourhoods face serious fire risks from dangerous electrical work, and arrest followed by lengthy prison sentences is almost inevitable.
The former worker’s account serves as the first inside look at a world that ends not in profit, but in locked doors, degrading conditions and prison cells.
This exclusive investigation was conducted independently. Authorities, housing safety experts and community organisations are invited to respond to the serious issues raised.
