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Three Chinese women haven been jailed for growing thousands of cannabis plants worth more than £1 million.
Youyin Lin, Mei Guo and Xiaoying Wu admitted being "gardeners" at a warehouse off Sutherland Road, Longton.
Prosecutor Nick Tatlow yesterday told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court police went to the modern warehouse behind the Aynsley China building at 6pm on October 11.
Inside they found 3,650 cannabis plants being grown in pots.
"There was lighting and ventilation and the set-up required plants to be watered and fed manually," said Mr Tatlow.
"There was also a living area and the three women were found inside."
Mr Tatlow said the set-up was capable of yielding three crops of high quality cannabis, known as skunk, a year.
He said each crop would have had an estimated yield of about 135 kilograms.
"This facility was capable of producing about 400 kilograms of such cannabis per annum, which amounts to a little over £4 million," said Mr Tatlow.
"The wholesale value would have been very much less, about £1.2 million."
The three women, all of no fixed address, were arrested and interviewed.
Lin, aged 44, said she paid £20,000 to enter the UK and found herself in debt.
She saw a job advertised in a Chinese newspaper in London's China town and met a man in Birmingham before being brought to Stoke-on-Trent.
She was told the plants were Chinese herbs.
She said she played no part in setting up the factory and at all times was under the control of others.
She said she did not know the plants were cannabis at first because they were so small but the court heard she had her suspicions as they grew.
Guo, aged 44, also answered an advert in a Chinese business paper in London and believed she would be working in a plastic factory. She was told the plants were Chinese herbs and she watered them.
She said she became suspicious but was prevented from leaving the factory as they were locked inside.
The court heard a similar story from Wu, aged 35, who was also told the plants were Chinese herbs and to water them.
She also told how she was not allowed to leave.
Alison Downes, mitigating on behalf of the women, said they all want to return to China. She said: "They are ashamed of what has happened.
"They came to the UK for a better life but quite clearly they are vulnerable and have been taken advantage of by those further up the chain.
"They are all desperate to return to China."
Jailing each woman for two years for producing cannabis, Judge Granville Styler said: "I accept your role was that of gardeners.
"I take the view you have been used by professional criminals to care for a cannabis factory.
"I understand you were desperate for money. Sadly this sort of offence is prevalent throughout the country and the sentences I pass must punish you and deter others."
They will serve up to half the sentences.
Judge Styler added the possibility of deportation was a matter for the Home Secretary.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: thisisstaffordshire.co.uk
Author: sentinel reporter
Contact: Stoke news, Sports, Jobs, Staffordshire news | This is Staffordshire
Copyright: 2010 Stoke news, Sports, Jobs, Staffordshire news | This is Staffordshire
Website:https://www.https//www.thisisstaffo...ing-drugs/article-3026046-detail/article.html
Youyin Lin, Mei Guo and Xiaoying Wu admitted being "gardeners" at a warehouse off Sutherland Road, Longton.
Prosecutor Nick Tatlow yesterday told Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court police went to the modern warehouse behind the Aynsley China building at 6pm on October 11.
Inside they found 3,650 cannabis plants being grown in pots.
"There was lighting and ventilation and the set-up required plants to be watered and fed manually," said Mr Tatlow.
"There was also a living area and the three women were found inside."
Mr Tatlow said the set-up was capable of yielding three crops of high quality cannabis, known as skunk, a year.
He said each crop would have had an estimated yield of about 135 kilograms.
"This facility was capable of producing about 400 kilograms of such cannabis per annum, which amounts to a little over £4 million," said Mr Tatlow.
"The wholesale value would have been very much less, about £1.2 million."
The three women, all of no fixed address, were arrested and interviewed.
Lin, aged 44, said she paid £20,000 to enter the UK and found herself in debt.
She saw a job advertised in a Chinese newspaper in London's China town and met a man in Birmingham before being brought to Stoke-on-Trent.
She was told the plants were Chinese herbs.
She said she played no part in setting up the factory and at all times was under the control of others.
She said she did not know the plants were cannabis at first because they were so small but the court heard she had her suspicions as they grew.
Guo, aged 44, also answered an advert in a Chinese business paper in London and believed she would be working in a plastic factory. She was told the plants were Chinese herbs and she watered them.
She said she became suspicious but was prevented from leaving the factory as they were locked inside.
The court heard a similar story from Wu, aged 35, who was also told the plants were Chinese herbs and to water them.
She also told how she was not allowed to leave.
Alison Downes, mitigating on behalf of the women, said they all want to return to China. She said: "They are ashamed of what has happened.
"They came to the UK for a better life but quite clearly they are vulnerable and have been taken advantage of by those further up the chain.
"They are all desperate to return to China."
Jailing each woman for two years for producing cannabis, Judge Granville Styler said: "I accept your role was that of gardeners.
"I take the view you have been used by professional criminals to care for a cannabis factory.
"I understand you were desperate for money. Sadly this sort of offence is prevalent throughout the country and the sentences I pass must punish you and deter others."
They will serve up to half the sentences.
Judge Styler added the possibility of deportation was a matter for the Home Secretary.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: thisisstaffordshire.co.uk
Author: sentinel reporter
Contact: Stoke news, Sports, Jobs, Staffordshire news | This is Staffordshire
Copyright: 2010 Stoke news, Sports, Jobs, Staffordshire news | This is Staffordshire
Website:https://www.https//www.thisisstaffo...ing-drugs/article-3026046-detail/article.html
