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Wednesday 11th August 2010

TWO illegal immigrants from Vietnam who helped run a sophisticated cannabis farm in a restaurant have been jailed.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that police officers raided the Rainbow House Chinese in Leigh Road, Leigh on February 25 and after kicking in the back door they discovered rooms had been converted into a cannabis farm.

The estimated street value of the 500 plants found in various stages of growth was
285,000.

Lam Phan, aged 21, and Hein Hoang, 37, were hiding in the loft. The two men, who don't speak English, had been living in the premises after illegally entering England following the promise of
1,000 for helping with "medicinal" plants.

The court heard that they never received the money and when they are released from their prison sentence will be deported.

Judge John Phipps told the men, who both pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis, "Those who involve themselves in cannabis production must expect to lose their liberty.

"I have seen photographs of the undertaking and it was a well equipped sophisticated enterprise, described as being consistent with large scale cannabis production."

Peter Barr, prosecuting, said it was accepted that they men did not control the illegal enterprise. Phan said he had been working as a cook and Hoang as a "gardener".

William Swalwell, defending, said that the two men come from a very poor area of Vietnam and came to the UK last November, via France and Germany.

They were eventually taken to Leigh and told to look after the plants and were to be paid when the plants reached maturity. They pleaded guilty and were both sentenced to two years imprisonment.

Neither has any previous convictions here or back in Vietnam and they have already spent 165 days in custody, he added.

Ear

Bongme