Drug farms growing again

Five years after an apparent proliferation in cannabis farms in Preston linked to Oriental gangs STEF HALL looks into the discovery of four large cultivations found in Preston in the last week.

She was a desperate mum-of-two lured thousands of miles from Vietnam to Lancashire by a "Mr Big" by the promise of money to fund her children's education.

But Dong Phu Do was put to work in a Fulwood cannabis farm - estimated to be worth £32,000 a year - when she arrived in Preston.

The 41-year-old, who had a desperate existence selling food from the roadside in her native country, was attracted by the promise of money to fund her children's education and had paid for her own flights.

The mum was among several immigrants imprisoned for cultivating cannabis, after a proliferation of cannabis farms were found in rented homes in Preston five years ago and has since been deported.

Many of the establishments involved people of Oriental origin brought into the country and exploited.

Among them was Lan Phan, a 15-year-old Vietnamese girl who came to the UK illegally without any funds, and was discovered by police helping out at a "farm" in a terraced house on Acregate Lane, Ribbleton, Preston, in April 2008.

She had been employed to look after the cannabis farm workers by making meals and was paid with food, clothing and accommodation. She was sentenced to a six month detention and training order.

And Preston hit the headlines nationally when a cannabis farm was exposed in a swimming pool at a plush rented mansion in Broughton.

It is five years since those cases came to light.

But within the last week, in disturbingly similar circumstances, four similar farms were exposed in rented properties in the city, sparking new concerns about a proliferation in cannabis growing.

Two Vietnamese illegal immigrants have appeared in court in connection with the finds, with one already pleading guilty to his role.

Son Trinh, 39, was arrested on Tuesday night at Waverley Road, Ribbleton, and admitted one count of producing a Class B drug at Preston Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Although police cannot say for certain there is a Mr Big type character behind the discoveries, they are working on the basis there are bigger characters behind the people initially arrested during the raids, which is a pattern that has been seen nationally in the last few years.

Indoor cannabis farms are appearing in quiet residential streets throughout the country in unprecedented numbers.

Some of them can produce up to £250,000 worth of the class B drug every year,

Whilst some involve local people, the operatives behind some of the farms found nationally are typically Oriental gangs linked to people trafficking networks and often also produce and supply class A drugs.

Det Chf Insp Steve Dowson, of Preston Police, said: "There appears to be a link between the four farms discovered in Preston and we are actively investigating the properties and who they may lead to.

"It has been a considerable period of time since we have had a seizure of this type and size, but in that time the threat has never gone away and it is vital that communities continue to report their suspicions to us.

"It is community intelligence which led to the first of these farms being raided.

" A team of officers have been involved in searching and dismantling the set ups, which are sometimes dangerous in nature, and detectives are following up some valuable lines of inquiry."

There are concerns about health implications as British-produced cannabis contains more THC - the psychoactive component in cannabis linked to mental health issues - than foreign imports.

Det Chf Insp Dowson adds: "Cannabis is not a harmless drug.

"The health implications are very serious because it is so addictive.

"People addicted to it are just as likely to commit crime to fund their habit than those on other drugs."

http://www.lep.co.uk 25/11/2013