Cannabis grown for ‘research’

A Christchurch man caught with 247 cannabis plants at a suburban home claims he was conducting research to get work in the medical cannabis industry in Australia.

Nari I-Yuan Chou, 32, pleaded guilty in the Christchurch District Court on Thursday to cultivating cannabis after the plants were found on October 1.

Judge Michael Crosbie remanded Chou in custody for sentencing on January 16.

Defence counsel Rupert Ward said Chou was growing the cannabis to research different varieties of the plant and how they responded to various soil types.

Chou told police he was doing research with the intention of obtaining work as a grower with a medical marijuana research company in Australia.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Kathy Pomfrett told the court: ‘‘He said he had not sold any of the cannabis that he had harvested, explaining that he had recycled the cannabis material by composting it for worm feed, to obtain a fertiliser specifically tailored to producing a higher quality cannabis.’’

Police found four growing tents inside the house, which Chou rented alone.

The tents had special lighting, extractor fans and charcoal filters.

Police found 247 plants and 100 seeds, some packaged and labelled according to the strain they were expected to produce.

Ward said Chou was a husband and father with good references. His family was well off and had no need to make ‘‘quick money’’.