Update: Drug gangs still at large (From News Shopper)

Update: Drug gangs still at large

3:52pm Friday 23rd November 2007

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RAIDS on cannabis factories have stopped huge amounts of the drug reaching the street, according to police.

However, despite successful prosecutions against individuals, criminal gangs behind the cannabis growing operations remain at large.

On November 12, two illegal Vietnamese immigrants were sentenced separately to 21 months each in jail for cultivating cannabis in residential properties.

At Croydon Crown Court, 45-year-old Hung Nguyen, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the production of cannabis after police raided an address in Worlds End Lane, Green Street Green, on September 4.

The whole of the four-bedroom detached house had been converted to cultivate a cannabis crop worth an estimated £800,000 a year.

Growing equipment worth £50,000 was also seized, along with 712 cannabis plants.

Bao Quoc Nguyen, aged 45, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 21 months in jail after pleading guilty to producing cannabis after a police search at a property in Slades Drive, Chislehurst, on September 17.

Croydon Crown Court heard a search of the semi-detached house saw police seize 348 cannabis plants worth more than £100,000.

On November 14, police uncovered another cannabis factory in Ravensbourne Avenue, Shortlands, after being tipped off by neighbours.

Four rooms inside the house were dedicated to growing cannabis but the plants had been recently harvested.

Although no-one was at the house, there were signs, including a Vietnamese magazine, somebody had been staying there.

Speaking about a possible connection between the houses raided by police, Detective Chief Inspector Chris Smart, the head of Bromley CID, said: "The illegal cultivation of cannabis is organised by sophisticated criminal gangs.

"The people for whom they were working stand to gain much more from these operations than the individuals we have seen imprisoned.

"These raids have stopped a huge amount of cannabis from reaching our streets and the subsequent profits from being passed on to criminals.

"It is important we work together as a community to prevent any further factories being set up."

Anyone with information should call police on 01689 891212, Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or speak to their safer neighbourhood team.

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