Man who claims he was ‘threatened’ to grow £555,000 worth of cannabis in home factory in Doncaster is jailed

Tuan Nguyen claims he was "threatened" into growing and selling the cannabis.

A man who was growing £555,000 worth of cannabis plants in a home factory has been jailed.

Tuan Nguyen attempted to escape from police as officers discovered a cannabis factory at a house in Doncaster.

The 39-year-old jumped into a neighbour's garden as officers executed an early morning drugs warrant at a property in Auckland Road, Wheatley, in October 2023.

£555,000 worth of cannabis plants - a total of 555 plants found in seven rooms across three floors of the suburban terraced house - were seized and destroyed

South Yorkshire Police seized and destroyed £555,000 worth of cannabis plants.

Nguyen was charged with being concerned in the production of a controlled Class B drug.

However, he claims he wasn’t paid for growing or selling the drugs, only given food and board.

The Vietnamese man also claimed he was "threatened" by British men to carry out the work.

Nguyen pleaded guilty after admitting that he was responsible for growing the plants.

He was jailed for one year and three months at Sheffield Crown Court on January 23.

PC Steven Morris, who was the officer in the case, called cannabis farms a “scourge on our societies”.

He explained vulnerable people are often “exploited” to take part in these schemes.

“They often live in fear at the hands of people further up the supply chain and we want to ensure those who are being exploited get the help they need,” he said.

"Cannabis is far from a harmless drug. It funds organised crime which wreaks misery on our local communities and this needs to stop.”