Illegal immigrant cannabis grower jailed

3:06pm Friday 4th July 2008

An illegal Vietnamese immigrant who was paid to look after and harvest the crop at a Bradford cannabis factory has been jailed for 21 months.

Trong Vu, 30, was arrested by officers in the Bradford District Drugs Team when they raided a five-bedroom house in Park View Road, Heaton, and found more than 1,000 skunk cannabis plants being grown.

Prosecutor Michael Collins told Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC that the plants could have produced cannabis valued at almost £185,000 and that Vu had admitted being paid £1,200 to work at the house.

Mr Collins told Bradford Crown Court today that Vu had found himself homeless after being released from an immigration detention centre.

After meeting a woman in London he was brought to Bradford and given instructions about how to farm the cannabis plants.

Mr Collins said police became suspicious about activities at the house and in January they executed a search warrant at the rented property.

“A search of the property confirmed the officers’ original suspicions,” he told the court.

“This was in fact a cannabis factory. They found 1,078 skunk cannabis plants.”

Vu admitted a charge of being concerned in the production of cannabis earlier this year and yesterday his barrister Nikki Peers said he was anxious to get back to Vietnam because of his wife’s ill health.

She explained that her client had been trying to save up £2,000 to pay for his flight home.

“He felt trapped once he realised what he had got himself into,” said Miss Peers.

“In the past he had seen violence committed against others...and he was afraid that similar things would happen to him if he extricated himself.”

Judge Durham Hall confirmed that Vu would face deportation following the completion of his prison sentence.

“I am satisfied that you were recruited off the street to mind the cannabis factory which lies behind the charge which you have pleaded guilty to,” the judge told Vu.