LANDLORDS ‘DUPED’ AS HOMES BECOME CANNABIS FACTORIES
Dad used fake details to sign up to tenancies
A Cash-strapped dad became embroiled in fraud after agreeing to rent seven properties which were later turned into cannabis factories.
Stoke-on-trent Crown Court heard that Kulwan Chagger masqueraded as someone else, presenting each landlord with false identity documents so he could enter into the tenancies.
He had no involvement in the drugs production and was just hired as a front for the rental side of the operation.
The property owners ended up losing more than £50,000 as they had to foot big repair bills and missed out on income while cleaning up the mess left behind.
Now 47-year-old Chagger has pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud by false representation and one charge of attempted fraud.
But due to his case taking so long to reach court, he has escaped an immediate jail term. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months.
Chagger had been unemployed and on the brink of eviction due to rent arrears when an ‘old friend’ offered him the chance to make money. He was offered £500 for every property he could rent.
Peter Mccartney, prosecuting, said he posed as someone named Singh. He would then present documents in the false name.
Many of the properties were selected after being advertised for rent online. They included houses in Dartmouth Street, Burslem; Waterloo Road, Hanley; Chamberlain Street, Shelton; Dundee Road, Etruria; and Knowle Street, Hartshill.
Mr Mccartney said more than 800 cannabis plants were uncovered by police at the various houses.
“There was quite plainly significant planning, and the fraudulent activity was from at least May 2017 to June 2018,” he added.
One landlord had been trying to come to terms with a close relative dying from cancer when he discovered he had been duped. In a victim personal statement, he said it was ‘the final tumbling block’ and he spiralled into severe depression.
Another victim added: “This incident has caused a lot of financial hardship and a lot of stress. I had to borrow a significant amount of money from my family.”
The court was told the joint owners of the Dundee Road property became suspicious after neighbours saw building work. “Neighbours had also been complaining of strange smells,” said Mr Mccartney.
The police were alerted and they found the cannabis factory inside.
Queenie Djan, mitigating, said Chagger had played a ‘peripheral’ role and only got involved due to his ‘desperate’ financial situation.
“He stupidly decided to take part in this offending. He did at times try to stop, but he was coerced into continuing,” she added.
The court heard Chagger, now of Kingsclere Walk, Wolverhampton, has set up his own construction business and has not re-offended.
As part of his suspended sentence, he will have to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days and 180 hours of unpaid work.
Judge David Fletcher said there was ‘no evidence’ the defendant knew about the cannabis factories.
He added: “In the main, rents were paid. The landlords didn’t seem to have any idea of what was happening.”