THE family of a Hollym businessman wept as he was jailed for two years for his part in a Vietnamese mafia-funded drugs farm.
Andrew Ward, 42, knocked down walls, laid on electricity and provided a log cabin for mafia stooge Trung Hoa Pham, 38, who lived near his home at Silver Leys Cross Road Nurseries in Withernsea.
Police found four rooms with more than 900 high-strength skunk cannabis plants growing and a specialist drying room for a crop of 34kg destined for street dealers. It could have produced three crops a year worth more than £500,000.
Ward was arrested and immediately told officers he had £10,000 of an expected £21,000 payment in a case in his wardrobe. He said he met Pham doing construction work in Manchester on houses and decided to rent out his barn.
Ward, of Silver Leys, Hollym, pleaded guilty to a charge of being concerned in the production of cannabis between January 1 and February 23, last year.
His wife Claire Ward, 37, had been in business with Hull solicitor Max Gold, but their construction venture collapsed leaving her with debts of £21,000 and a charging order on her home. Her husband decided to rent out the barns in an effort to rid his family of the debt.
He also ran a letting agency and construction firm.
Prosecuting barrister Sharon Amexu told Hull Crown Court the police raided the nursery and found 228 cropped plants and drugs with a wholesale value of £23,750, but a street value of £194,000.
Pham said he was recruited by the mafia to pay off a £3,000 debt and was sent to the UK. He was jailed for two years and eight months earlier this year. The sentencing of Ward was delayed while his wife fought a successful trial to clear her name of involvement in the enterprise. She told police she had tried to stop her husband.
Defence barrister Anil Murray said the court would rarely find such a high-calibre of references for a man. He said: "This was out of character. He has exceptional references, which shows he is held in high regard by the church and his community."
Sentencing, Recorder Andrew Kershaw said Ward had played a significant role in the cannabis farm.
He told him: "You saw an opportunity to clear your debts and secure your home for your family by allowing your outbuilding to be used as a cannabis farm. Your intention was to allow the farm to produce sufficient crop to clear your debts and then for the farm to be wound up. It has to be custody. I have to hold a balance with Mr Pham."
He jailed Ward for a total of two years and ordered the destruction of the drugs. He also ordered that Ward should be the subject of a Proceeds of Crime Application to recover his profits.
