A POLICE raid on a building in Whitehaven town centre uncovered a huge cannabis farm crammed with a crop potentially worth £2.2m.

At Carlisle Crown Court, the two "gardeners" at the King Street operation were sentenced for their role in running the operation, which involved nine growing rooms with almost 1,500 plants. Ty Vo, 33, and 23-year-old HuyTran had both pleaded guilty to a charge of cultivating the Class B drug.

But the judge heard that both men were themselves victims of sophisticated criminals, including people traffickers, who ruthlessly exploited their vulnerability after smuggling them into the UK in the back of lorries.

Prosecutor Tim Evans outlined the facts.

He described how police raided the Whitehaven property at 12.35pm on November 24 last year, discovering that there nine active “growing rooms” within the building, containing 1,489 cannabis plants.

They were being professionally cultivated with the use of fans, growing lights, feeding systems and other kit.

“The potential yield from those plants was 223 kilos, with a potential street value of £2.2m,” said Mr Evans. The police officers found Vo hiding on the roof of the property.

Tran was in a nearby street, his heel having been injured and crushed as he jumped from the building in an attempt to escape. Mr Evans also pointed out that the farm was being powered by stolen electricity.

“They had been bypassing the electricity supply and the daily bill for growing this number of plants would be £540,” said Mr Evans. The electricity bill for an entire crop would be £34,000.

The court heard that Vo had a previous caution for the same offence while Tran had no previous criminal history.

Judith McCullough, for Vo, said an investigation had concluded that he was the victim of modern day slavery. The barrister said the defendant, a married man with two children, had secured a £700 loan back in Vietnam because he wanted to build a house for his family.

Unable to make repayments, he was told he would have to work to settle the debt, initially being sent to China.

Miss McCullough said: “Once in China, he and others were forced into a lorry for a lengthy and terrifying journey and brough to the UK.” He was threatened and worried about his family in Vietnam.

In the UK, he initially thought his work would be legitimate, and was moved from job to job, including the earlier cannabis farm. When brought to Cumbria, he believed he would be working on renovating the property in Whitehaven where he was placed.

Miss McCullough said: “Once more he found himself involved in criminal activity, with his personal gain being no more than a roof over his head and the belief that he was paying off his debt.”

Jeff Smith, for Tran, told the court: “There is behind this offence a tragic personal history.” The lawyer said the defendant was abandoned as a child and brought up by his maternal grandmother.

“When she died, he was told… that they could take him to the UK where he would be reunited with his parents.”

Tran too was smuggled illegally into the country in the back of a lorry, in his case with ten other men, said Mrs Smith. Tran was working at the Whitehaven property for only five days.

Recorder Lawrence McDonald noted the high value of the cannabis crop but also accepted that the two men were exploited.

He told them: “It’s plain that both of you became involved in this operation due to pressure, intimidation, and coercion.” He jailed both men for 13 months.