Vietnamese orphan smuggled to UK in shipping container was dumped in remote Scottish cottage to run £400,000 cannabis farm
With only a laptop to provide him with entertainment, his employers kept him hidden away in the cottage in Gollanfield
With only a laptop to provide him with entertainment, his employers kept him hidden away in the cottage in Gollanfield
esterday, details of his unfortunate existence, as well as a startling insight into the twilight world of human trafficking, was revealed when he was jailed for 27 months.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard how he was forced to work in the large-scale commercial world of growing cannabis, which was believed to be worth more than £400,000 a year in this particular instance.
Vo originally claimed to be only 16 when he was caught, in a bid to be treated more leniently by the Scottish courts.
But Sheriff Margaret Neilson was told that the accused, who was, in fact, 22 at the time of his arrest, was smuggled into the UK by drugs barons in a ship's container with two other Vietnamese.
Having been an orphan living on the streets since he was 12, Vo was recruited in the Far East and sent to Britain four years ago.
Defence agent Willie Young said his client depended upon the drug dealers to survive.
When he was sent to the Highlands to supervise the cannabis farm, Mr Young said, he had no bed and only a door to sleep on, a laptop for entertainment and food delivered every seven days by his employers.
They collected the cannabis leaves in bags and took them south to sell, although Vo received no money.
Following his jail term, Vo will be automatically deported by the British authorities back to Vietnam and an unknown future after admitting being concerned in the supply of cannabis.
His capture followed a police raid on the cottage, next to the Highland Foodstop Shop at Gollanfield, in July this year which uncovered the drugs farm.
The court was told that 300 mature and seedling cannabis plants were in the property, with a value of £90,000. Other dead, dying and cultivated stems were found, along with lighting units and other equipment.
Fiscal depute Ian Smith said: ‘Several rooms were full of plants and pots and the enterprise had been active for at least four months. The plants take approximately three to four months to reach maturity.
‘The set-up represented a considerable investment to produce cannabis on a large scale, with the entire cottage converted for the purpose. Mr Vo only had a small area to live in and he was found hiding in the loft.'
Mr Smith added that the property had been rented by two Chinese men for £1,500 a month.
A cash sum of £3,000 was paid up front before the remainder of the rental was paid directly into the owner's bank account by the men, who spoke perfect English.
Mr Young said: ‘When he was in the property, he had no contact with the outside world and had been given specific instructions. It was a Spartan existence. His only possession was a laptop to pass the time of day.
‘There were individuals he did not know who were more criminally sophisticated. He was a minor link in the chain of supply.
‘Unfortunately, the persons involved are still at large and my client is facing jail.'
Sheriff Neilson told Vo through an interpreter: ‘I accept you were not the mastermind behind this operation, but you were a link in what was clearly criminal activity. The High Court has made it clear these sort of charges should be treated very seriously in this country.'
She reduced the sentence from 36 months in view of his early plea and backdated it to July 20, when he was taken into custody.
Police had to break into the building after being tipped off about a strong smell of cannabis coming from a ventilation pipe.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk 28/11/2012