Two men sentenced for Slough cannabis cultivation
Two Vietnamese men have been sentenced to a total of six-and-a-half years in prison for cannabis cultivation, following the closure of two cannabis factories in Slough.
Nguyen Van Bui, aged 48, was sentenced to five years at Reading Crown Court yesterday (15/8).
On 20 September 2005, police executed a warrant at an address in Dawley Ride, Colnbrook, Slough. The ground floor of the semi-detached house had been completely taken over for the growing of cannabis plants. The windows and walls were fully insulated, the electricity meter had been bypassed and an elaborate system of lamps and ventilation ducting had been set up.
The kitchen of the Slough house was stacked to the ceiling with bags of compost and fertiliser. In the upstairs bathroom, the bath and several large bins full of water were linked to plastic hoses and pumps. In the bedrooms, police found high wattage lighting equipment and several hundred root balls from previous cannabis yields.
There were a total of 227 growing plants at the address. Forensic experts estimated that these would give an annual yield of approximately 22 kilos of cannabis, with a street value of about £100,000.
A lengthy examination of the scene produced fingerprint evidence that led to Bui’s arrest. His trial began on 13 August and on 15 August a jury found him guilty after deliberating for just one hour 20 minutes. It was disclosed in open court that Bui had a previous conviction for being concerned in the production of cannabis in Hayes in 2005.
On 9 August at Maidenhead Youth Court, a 16-year-old Vietnamese boy charged with cannabis cultivation was sentenced to 18 months in a young offenders’ institution.
On 1 March 2007, police executed a warrant at an address in Canterbury Avenue, Slough. As officers entered the house, the youth was found hiding in a garage at the rear of the property, and was subsequently arrested.
A full search of the address the following day (2/3) revealed 189 fully grown plants and a further 230 seedlings in propagators. The mature plants have an estimated street value of £100 each, with the value of the current yield estimated at around £18,900. Each cannabis factory can produce an average of six crops a year, so the Canterbury Avenue, Slough had the potential to produce around £120,000 of cannabis.
Det Sgt Stuart Brangwin of the Berkshire East Drug Enforcement Team said: “These cases are typical of many Vietnamese cannabis factories discovered in the south-east of England. More than 200 similar factories have been identified across the Thames Valley, London and Surrey areas. They are usually three-bedroom end-of-terrace or semi-detached properties and are rented by Vietnamese gangs through letting agents or privately. Many of the properties are booby trapped, with doors wired up to mains electricity or steps removed from the staircase.
“These factories make a substantial profit and the gangs that run them are linked to other offences such as arson and violent crime.
“Thames Valley Police will continue to shut down cannabis factories and bring those responsible to justice. The sentences handed down this week show that the courts take the matter very seriously.”
Thames Valley Police ~ Slough