Two men have appeared in court charged with illegal drug production after a large cannabis farm was found inside a Carlisle property.
Police attended the address at Wigton Road yesterday, the city’s magistrates’ court heard today.
Prosecutor Diane Jackson alleged: “The entire property was being used for the production of cannabis. There were around 201 plants and the (estimated potential sale) value given is between £56,000 and £168,000.”
Drug paraphernalia was also discovered with Mrs Jackson alleging the operation involved production for “commercial use”.
Police also found a double mattress inside the property along with a stocked fridge and freezer, and hygiene products and clothing in the bathroom.
Vietnamese nationals Thanh Nguyen, 46, and 33-year-old Trong Van Phan were arrested by police investigating the incident, and they appeared in court today charged with allegedly being concerned in the production of the controlled class B drug.
Nguyen, who put forward a Newcastle address, wore a dark tracksuit top over a white T-shirt in the dock alongside Phan, whose address was given as Mill Lane, Newcastle, who was dressed in a light grey polo shirt.
After the charge they jointly face was put to them in turn, defence solicitors representing the pair indicated that neither man would be entering a plea to the allegation at this stage. Both defendants were assisted in court by an interpreter.
After hearing a brief outline of the case and submissions from the two defence lawyers, magistrates committed the case to Carlisle Crown Court.
Nguyen and Phan are due to appear there in front of a judge on September 1, and were remanded in custody in the meantime.
