Sarfraz Farooq, 46, from Luton, the director of an estate agency, has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison at Luton Crown Court. He created false tenancy agreements for 19 properties used to cultivate cannabis.
Police raids in 2024 on 20 properties in Luton and Milton Keynes led to the discovery of approximately 2,000 cannabis plants, estimated to be worth around £800,000. Officers stated that if these plants had not been found, they could have generated cannabis with a street value exceeding £2m within a year.
Uan Gogu, 42, also from Luton, received a sentence of over six years for his role in arranging the installation of specialist cannabis cultivation equipment. Police reported that he caused fires at three of the properties and was involved in bypassing electricity meters, which created significant safety risks.
Farooq used homes belonging to genuine landlords who, according to police, trusted his agency to rent out their properties legitimately. These landlords were provided with what they believed to be valid tenancy agreements and rental payments. Farooq has also been disqualified from acting as a company director for 10 years. Mohammed Farooq, 76, from Luton, received a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for money laundering.