Shropshire Star

Telford man on trial over cannabis production conspiracy

A man arrested at a disused leisure centre had the Telford address in his phone of Toi Van Le who is alleged to be at the heart of nationwide cannabis production conspiracy, a court has heard.

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The mobile phone was also linked to the movement of Van Le's Audi car as it travelled between Telford and Newport, South Wales, in April, 2014.

A jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court heard cell-site analysis of the phone shows it being 'topped up' around the time Van Le's Audi was captured on camera at Strensham Services on the M5.

The prosecution claims it is one example of 51-year-old Van Le's role in a conspiracy in which he was organising and transporting a work force - mainly illegal immigrants - to cannabis factories across the country.

Van Le was suspected of cannabis production ver a number of years and an investigation led by West Mercia detectives uncovered the full extent of his alleged criminal activity.

He is accused of controlling a team of 'gardeners' in the cultivation of cannabis worth several million pounds in Telford, Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham, Burton-on-Trent, Grimsby, Cumbria and South Wales.

The 'audacious' drugs operation used a former bank, a disused leisure centre and a former doctor's surgery, along with several terraced houses.

Van Le, of Spout Way, Malinslee, who also has addresses in Birmingham and London, denies 10 charges of conspiring to produce cannabis between January, 2006, and May this year.

The jury has heard that in August, 2014, a few months after Van Le's known trip to Gwent, police raided the Underwood Leisure Centre in Newport where they found more the 2,600 viable cannabis plants.

Three Vietnamese men were arrested - including Minh Phung - whose phone contained Van Le's Telford address and post code and text messages had been sent to the defendant on from another phone found in the living area at the premises.

The prosecution say a cannabis factory found at a property in Lodge Court in Donnington in March this year and was part of the cultivation conspiracy.

Four years ago police had been called to the property where officers found three suspected illegal Vietnamese immigrants who all had rucksacks and mobile phones.

The prosecution say Van Le was there and appeared to be in charge and had £500 in cash which he was handing out.

While police made no arrests at the time, it is claimed by the prosecution that this was Van Le consorting with potential members of his workforce.

The trial continues.

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