Illegal immigrant ‘locked up in house of cannabis’

A court heard Suu Hoang had been tricked into leaving his home in Vietnam after a promise of “a life of riches in the West”.

In reality, the 20-year-old was forced to stay locked inside the house on Hartley Avenue, Woodhouse, and farm the plants for a wage of £50 a fortnight.

His documents were taken from him by the people who brought him into the country and he had no option but to stay at the property and grow the class B drug.

Leeds Crown Court heard officers executed a search warrant at the house on October 29 this year.

Hoang was found in a small sleeping area in the living room of the property when officers entered.

The rest of the house was taken up by 323 cannabis plants which were in various stages of growth.

The house was fitted with ventilation pipes and heating and lighting equipment.

Heather Weir, prosecuting, said the plants were capable of producing around 12kgs of the drug.

After his arrest Hoang said he had been taken to the address three months previously by people he did not know.

He told the officers he thought the plants were being grown for medical purposes and he did not realise they were illegal.

He pleaded guilty to production of a class B drug.

Robin Frieze, mitigating, said: “He was brought over here by others and promised a life of riches in the west.

“Not surprisingly that did not materialise.

“He was put in this house and told what to do.

“He was not in a position to leave because of his status.

“The people who brought him in took his documents and kept them, which is common practice because it ensures that he can’t go anywhere.”

The barrister said Hoang would be deported after serving his sentence and was keen to return home as his mother had been diagnosed with a serious illness.

Judge Christopher Batty jailed Hoang for 16 months.

He told him: “We have a significant cannabis problem in this country.

“Contrary to popular belief it is a dangerous substance.

“These courts cannot just sit by and allow people to grow it in such quantities.”