AN illegal migrant coerced into cannabis production in Nuneaton has been handed a 10 month prison sentence.
Ty Nguyen, aged 46 with no fixed abode, has been handed a 10-month prison sentence for his involvement in the production of cannabis and is required to pay a victims’ surcharge of £187.
The ruling was made following the discovery of a cannabis farm on Middlemarch Road in Nuneaton on September 7, 2023.
Officers responded to complaints about drug-related activities in the area and detected a strong odor of cannabis coming from the address.
Upon arrival, Nguyen answered the door but refused entry to the officers, however, he disclosed his illegal entry into the country.
Upon Nguyen’s arrest, officers started a search of the premises, suspecting there might be others inside the house unlawfully or connected to Nguyen’s entry.
Their search revealed that four rooms had been converted into cannabis growing areas, housing a total of 238 plants and was illegally abstracting electricity to power the setup.
During questioning, Nguyen revealed that he had been coerced into tending the plants under threats of violence by the owners of the operation
He claimed to have been forcibly taken from Leicester to the grow site in Nuneaton three months prior to his arrest and despite having keys to the property, Nguyen remained there because he did now know where he was or where to go.
Ty Nguyen was sentenced on March 7 at Warwick Crown Court.
Investigating officer PC Henningham said: “Growing cannabis is a crime in the UK, which is precisely why gangs keep an arm’s length away from the farms by forcing vulnerable people to operate them while they make a profit.
“Nguyen has committed a crime and has been prosecuted according to the law, but along with many other grow operators he is also a victim of modern slavery.
“If there’s a grow going on near you, there’s a good chance that the same exploitation is happening there too.
“Tell us as soon as possible, we’ll preserve your anonymity, and we’ll do something about it.”
