MAN JAILED OVER £800,000 CHESTERGATE DRUGS FARM

A VIETNAMESE man has been jailed for helping to grow a drugs farm worth up to £820,000 on Chestergate. Hung Tran, 23 – who worked as a farmer in his homeland – was locked up for 10 months after police found 700 plants in a building that had previously been home to the Rapture shop during a raid in May.

Chester Crown Court heard the operation had fans and lamps operating day and night – using electricity stolen from neighbouring properties totalling £42,000. Tran, of no fixed abode, was caught by officers fleeing the property. He pleaded guilty to producing cannabis. Roger Badman, defending Tran, said that although the operation had been in place for “some considerable time” the defendant had only been involved for two nights before it was raided.

Tran was told he could be deported before his sentence is up.

Mr Badman said Tran was of previous good character and was anxious to return to Vietnam.

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