A Vietnamese immigrant who claimed he was kidnapped and forced to look after a Cumbernauld cannabis farm has been jailed for two years.Loc Din Tran, 48, was caught cultivating more than 200 illegal plants worth £70,000.The dad of two insisted that he had been abducted in Glasgow city centre and taken to a house in Cumbernauld.But his claim was dismissed after a Home Office investigation.The Lanarkshire Live app is available to download now.
Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7.The free download features the latest breaking news and exclusive stories, and allows you to customise your page to the sections that matter most to you.Head to the App Store and never miss a beat in Lanarkshire - iOS - Android Tran admitted producing the Class B drug in Craigieburn Road between May 7 and August 7 last year.
Lauren Cole, prosecuting, told Airdrie Sheriff Court: "Police officers went to the house after an anonymous call. The windows were boarded up but they detected a smell of cannabis and fans were heard within the property. "Entry was forced through the rear door and 208 cannabis plants were recovered, with 133 of those at a mature stage in their growth."Tran was found in an upstairs bathroom.
He denied involvement in the cannabis cultivation and claimed he had been kidnapped in Glasgow city centre and taken to the property."His case was referred to the Home Office for investigation, but officials came to the view that he was not a victim of human trafficking."Defence lawyer Roberto Manini said Tran arrived in Scotland hoping to earn enough money in a legitimate job to allow his family
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