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A man who came to the UK as a political refugee has been sentenced to two and a half years in jail for cultivating a house full of cannabis plants.
Peterborough Crown Court heard how police raided the city home of 42-year-old Vinh-Hoa Ly, in Huntly Grove, Millfield, to discover three rooms filled with plants.
Windows had been blocked up with reflective sheeting and high-powered light bulbs, transformers, fans, filters and other growing materials, were found.
When Ly was arrested, he was in the process of taking apart equipment, and was carrying plastic bags, containing a number of tools and duct tape.
The raid took place on July 27 and, at a hearing at Peterborough Magistrates' Court on August 25, Ly pleaded guilty to growing cannabis.
The court heard how Ly came to England from Vietnam with his family to find work as a chef in the early 1980s.
It was claimed that in May this year he was duped into cultivating the drug with the offer of a 'gardening' job, and was promised money to buy food, as well as a roof over his head.
Officers found a total of 120 immature plants in three rooms. The street value for the drugs was only £100, as they were in the early stages of growth, but, fully grown, the value would have spiralled into tens of thousands of pounds, the court heard.
Duncan O'Donnell, prosecuting, said: "This is clearly a professional cannabis factory. It is a problem in the Peterborough area. A number of cannabis factories have been discovered and closed down."
Ly and his wife had divorced three years ago. He is now a British citizen. He was living in London when he was approached about the new "gardening" job in Peterborough.
The court heard how two men phoned him to give him instructions on what to do. He was told that when he had committed the written instructions to memory, he should destroy the notes.
Georgina Gibbs, defending, said: "Vulnerable people, particularly from Vietnam, are utilised and brought into this enterprise.
"He was employed as a gardener. He was waking the plants and putting them to sleep. He did not set up the factory, nor did he buy any of the equipment."
Recorder Nicola Davies, sentencing, said: "The growing of cannabis is a very serious offence."
The 95 days Ly has already spent in custody was taken into consideration.
The drugs had been forfeited and were ordered to be destroyed.
Newshawk: user - <A HREF="420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking">420 Magazine</A>
Source: The Evening Telegraph & Peterborough Today
Pubdate: 02 November 2006
Author: Mark Pearson
Copyright: 2006 Johnston Press Digital Publishing
Contact: Mark Pearson
Website: Article Here
Peterborough Crown Court heard how police raided the city home of 42-year-old Vinh-Hoa Ly, in Huntly Grove, Millfield, to discover three rooms filled with plants.
Windows had been blocked up with reflective sheeting and high-powered light bulbs, transformers, fans, filters and other growing materials, were found.
When Ly was arrested, he was in the process of taking apart equipment, and was carrying plastic bags, containing a number of tools and duct tape.
The raid took place on July 27 and, at a hearing at Peterborough Magistrates' Court on August 25, Ly pleaded guilty to growing cannabis.
The court heard how Ly came to England from Vietnam with his family to find work as a chef in the early 1980s.
It was claimed that in May this year he was duped into cultivating the drug with the offer of a 'gardening' job, and was promised money to buy food, as well as a roof over his head.
Officers found a total of 120 immature plants in three rooms. The street value for the drugs was only £100, as they were in the early stages of growth, but, fully grown, the value would have spiralled into tens of thousands of pounds, the court heard.
Duncan O'Donnell, prosecuting, said: "This is clearly a professional cannabis factory. It is a problem in the Peterborough area. A number of cannabis factories have been discovered and closed down."
Ly and his wife had divorced three years ago. He is now a British citizen. He was living in London when he was approached about the new "gardening" job in Peterborough.
The court heard how two men phoned him to give him instructions on what to do. He was told that when he had committed the written instructions to memory, he should destroy the notes.
Georgina Gibbs, defending, said: "Vulnerable people, particularly from Vietnam, are utilised and brought into this enterprise.
"He was employed as a gardener. He was waking the plants and putting them to sleep. He did not set up the factory, nor did he buy any of the equipment."
Recorder Nicola Davies, sentencing, said: "The growing of cannabis is a very serious offence."
The 95 days Ly has already spent in custody was taken into consideration.
The drugs had been forfeited and were ordered to be destroyed.
Newshawk: user - <A HREF="420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking">420 Magazine</A>
Source: The Evening Telegraph & Peterborough Today
Pubdate: 02 November 2006
Author: Mark Pearson
Copyright: 2006 Johnston Press Digital Publishing
Contact: Mark Pearson
Website: Article Here
