From Poverty to Profit: How Economic Hardship in Albania is Driving Migrants into Britain’s Cannabis Trade

Economic desperation in Albania is forcing a growing number of migrants to seek a better life in Britain. However, for many, the path out of poverty leads straight into the clutches of organized crime, with hundreds of Albanians now deeply embedded in the UK’s booming cannabis trade.

With the Albanian economy still struggling to recover from decades of instability, limited job prospects, and wages far below European standards, many young Albanians see no future in their homeland. The allure of making quick money in Britain, even through illicit means, has become increasingly irresistible for those facing economic despair. As a result, Albanian criminal gangs have capitalized on this desperation, recruiting migrants to work on illegal cannabis farms across the UK.

Albania, one of Europe’s poorest nations, has long struggled with high unemployment and economic stagnation. In rural areas, especially, opportunities are scarce, and wages are often insufficient to support families. Faced with these harsh realities, many Albanians risk everything to reach Britain, often making the perilous journey across the Channel in small boats.

Once in the UK, however, their dreams of financial stability are often shattered. Instead of finding legitimate work, many are drawn into the country's illegal cannabis industry, which is estimated to be worth £2.4 billion annually. Albanian gangs, seeing the swelling tide of migrants, have exploited these newcomers, offering them work on cannabis farms in exchange for a portion of the profits—profits that many could never dream of earning back home.

Most of the cannabis farms run by these gangs are set up in rented homes or abandoned industrial buildings, where workers can cultivate and harvest crops with minimal risk of detection. For many Albanian migrants, this work offers a lifeline—a way to earn far more than they ever could in their homeland. The cannabis farms can produce crops worth up to £2 million in just three months, with workers promised a cut of the profits.

However, life on these farms is far from easy. Many workers live in squalid conditions, constantly fearing raids by rival gangs or law enforcement. The violence surrounding the cannabis trade is escalating, with reports of workers being brutally attacked, including having their fingers chopped off by intruders. For these migrants, the dangers are high, but the prospect of returning to a life of poverty in Albania makes the risks seem worthwhile.

The cannabis trade offers a low-risk, high-reward opportunity for Albanian gangs, who have shifted from dealing in cocaine to cannabis in recent years. Growing cannabis within the UK eliminates the risks associated with drug importation, and the ever-increasing demand for homegrown cannabis makes it a lucrative venture. But this booming black market has created a dangerous underworld where violence, exploitation, and intimidation are rampant.

Much of the recruitment happens through social media and encrypted messaging apps like Telegram. One channel, used by more than 700 Albanian migrants, offers tips on growing cannabis and even advice on using crossbows rather than guns to fend off rival gangs. The platform has become a hub for advice on everything from chemicals to boost plant growth to avoiding law enforcement.

These gang-run operations often promise migrants 30% of the profit in exchange for their labor, but in reality, many are exploited, forced to work long hours under harsh conditions. Landlords of rented properties where cannabis farms are set up often demand a share of the profits, leaving little for the workers themselves.

The UK consumes around 240 tonnes of cannabis each year, making the trade highly profitable. For migrants who arrive with little money and few connections, joining this illegal economy can seem like the only option. The gangs provide them with housing and protection, but in return, they are locked into a cycle of exploitation from which escape is nearly impossible.

The rise in Albanian involvement in the UK’s cannabis trade mirrors the broader migrant crisis, where thousands flee their home countries each year, seeking better opportunities but often falling victim to criminal enterprises along the way. For these migrants, the decision to leave Albania is not driven by greed, but by survival. As one Albanian source explained, “An Albanian guy in a small village knows his prospects are poor if he stays in his country, but he knows if he goes to the UK he can make a lot of money and send it back to his family."

The UK government has ramped up enforcement against Albanian criminal gangs, with deportations increasing since a deal with Albania was struck in late 2022. Arrests for cannabis-related offences have also spiked, but the root causes of the problem—economic despair and lack of opportunity in Albania—remain unaddressed.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer recently visited Italy to discuss solutions, including the potential of outsourcing asylum processing to Albania. While border security measures are tightening, without significant improvements in Albania’s economy, migrants will continue to seek new opportunities abroad—even if it means entering the dangerous world of drug production.

The migration of Albanians into Britain’s cannabis trade is not merely a crime problem—it’s a crisis born out of economic inequality and exploitation. As long as Albania’s economy remains in dire straits, and as long as there is demand for illegal cannabis in the UK, this cycle of poverty, migration, and crime is likely to continue.

Is Albania's economic crisis fueling the UK's cannabis trade?