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UK: Judge warns over drug factory trend

Llanelli Star

Monday 08 Sep 2008

A SWANSEA judge has described the cultivation of cannabis in the city by illegal immigrants as endemic.

Judge Gerald Price QC was speaking at Swansea Crown Court as he jailed three Vietnamese men for their roles at drug factories in Penclawdd, Townhill, and Waun Wen.

Diep Phung, aged 20, Vinh Le, aged 43, and Linh Nguyen, aged 18, all admitted being involved in the unlawful production of cannabis.

Phung and Le were both jailed for two years while Nguyen was sent to a young offenders institution for 18 months.

Judge Price said that, when released, all three would be subject to automatic deportation from the UK.
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Francis Jones, prosecuting, said Phung had been a cleaner at cannabis factories set up at rented houses in Pen y Morfa, Penclawdd, and Graiglwyd Rd, Townhill.

When police raided the Penclawdd house, all the plants had been harvested.

But at the Townhill property officers found 135 plants being grown. More than £15,000-worth of damage had been caused to the address.

The court heard that Le and Nguyen were arrested after electricity company officials were refused access to read a meter at a house in Baptist Well Street, Waun Wen.

At the house, police found almost 300 cannabis plants being grown in hydroponic conditions.

Le admitted cultivating the plants while Nguyen accepted he had worked as a driver, delivering items necessary for the factory's maintenance.

All three defendants were illegal immigrants the court heard.

Sentencing, Judge Price said: "Cases of this kind are endemic in this part of the country.

"I have dealt with a number in recent months. It is becoming a very serious problem in this area."

The judge accepted that Phung, Le and Nguyen were all at the "bottom end" of cannabis-growing organisations.

"Sadly, it is rare that the managers and operators are apprehended," added the judge.

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