Jail for mother of three who worked at cannabis factory
A Vietnamese mother of three caught tending to plants in a cannabis factory has been jailed for two years.
Huong Thi Le (39) entered the UK illegally, hidden inside a bag with air holes in the back of a lorry, hoping for a better life.
She said she believed she was going to be looking after other people's children, but ended up being taken to a house in Evelyn Drive, near Narborough Road, Leicester, to work as a cannabis gardener.
Le denied producing cannabis in April and May this year, claiming she did not know the plants were cannabis or that what she was doing was illegal.
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But a jury at convicted her at a hearing at Leicester Crown Court earlier this week.
James Bide-Thomas, prosecuting, said a search warrant was executed at the house. Sophisticated growing equipment and 153 cannabis plants were discovered there.
There was a potential yield of 7.6 kilos – 16.7lbs – with a street value of £43,840.
The court heard Le's family paid 6,000 euros for her to flee her abusive and violent husband in Vietnam, where she was living in poverty.
Two of her children are being cared for by her parents and the third is with her husband.
She was hoping to send money back home to her family.
Justine Robinson, defending, said: "She was there for a month. Her role was limited to watering plants and removing seedlings from one pot to another."
Sentencing, Recorder Nirmal Shant said: "Willingly you were transported into this country illegally.
"You were placed in a house that was set up for you to be a gardener. It cost in the order of £25,000 to set up.
"The jury has rejected your account, that you didn't know or reasonably suspect that you were involved in the production of a controlled drug.
"These sort of outfits are rife.
"On the other side is your sad history and I've no doubt that those who employed you knew your vulnerabilities and it made you a target.
"Without gardeners, such as yourself, outfits like this couldn't flourish."
Le's laptop and £180, seized on her arrest, were confiscated by the court.
Le was told she would be automatically deported after serving half the sentence.
Comments
by achesandpains
Sunday, September 30 2012, 10:53AM
“"........These sort of outfits are rife...." and there is one reason and one reason only for this state of affairs -- prohibition! There is a massive demand for cannabis and where there is a demand a market will develop. Cannabis is NOT illegal - it is 'controlled' under current legislation. Cannabis growing is licensed by the Home Office (currently only one commercial licence to GW Pharma) so the mechanism is there already. Allow citizens a licence to grow for personal use and this particular 'problem' will disappear overnight. Putting this woman in prison achieves nothing other than wasting £40,000 of taxpayer's money.”
by OneGoodFinger
Thursday, September 27 2012, 8:54PM
“This war on cannabis is ludicrous.
Research shows it to be less harmful than caffeine, let alone alcohol and tobacco, which are the biggest killers in society.
Take it out of the criminals' hands. Make our streets safer. Protect the children. Allow responsible adult use. Limit the age to 18.
Remember, the only ID a drug dealer requires is a 20 pound note.”
by OneGoodFinger
Thursday, September 27 2012, 8:53PM
“This war on cannabis is ludicrous.
Research shows it to be less harmful than caffeine, let alone alcohol and tobacco, which are the biggest killers in society.
Take it out of the criminals' hands. Make our streets safer. Protect the children. Allow responsible adult use. Limit the age to 18.
Remember, the only ID a drug dealer requires is a 20 pound note.”
by garyb2011
Thursday, September 27 2012, 8:41PM
“12 months and goodbye”
by PoetPeter
Thursday, September 27 2012, 8:21PM
“We need to stop this stupid and unwinnable war against cannabis. It is causing far more harm to our communities than it prevents. If we had a properly regulated system of production and supply we'd have no more illegal cannabis farms, instead we'd have thousands of new jobs. We'd have no more dealers on the streets. Cannabis would be available to adults only through licensed outlets and we'd have some control over the THC and CBD content.
Doctors would be able to prescribe one of the most effective medicines that has no serious side effects at all. At the moment the government has given GW Pharmaceuticals an illegal monopoly on cannabis so they make millions out of a medicine that you can grow in your greenhouse for virtually nothing.
If we introduced a legally regulated system we would solve nearly all the problems around cannabis. Science proves how much safer it is than tobacco, alcohol, prescription medicines and all other recreational drugs. If anyone does have a problem with it they could get help without having to confess to a crime.
CLEAR published independent, expert research last year which shows that a tax and regulate policy on cannabis would produce a net gain to the UK economy of up to £9.3 billion per annum.
It is a scandal that our government, our judges, our courts, our police and our newspapers keep misleading us about cannabis. Find out the truth for yourself and wake up to the lies you have been told.”