Mhill Asani jailed for growing cannabis at home in Chestnut Street

We reported Mhill Asani was caught after police carried out a drugs raid at his home in Chestnut Street, Worcester, in March.

David Jackson, prosecuting, said Asani told police he originally arrived in the country by boat 11 months earlier, before being brought from London to look after cannabis plants. 

The raid revealed a "professional set up in nature" with the property effectively sealed with equipment and ventilation built in. 

IMMIGRANT: Mhill Asani has been jailed (Image: West Mercia Police)

Police found Asani in the bathroom having a shave and on him was a Samsung phone with an additional sim card. 

Discovered were 104 cannabis plants and bags of dried cannabis in four rooms, 157 seedling plants in the cellar, £125 in cash, brand new trainers worth £114, fertilisers, heat lamps and fans.

RAID: Chestnut Street where a drugs raid took place (Image: Newsquest)

The prosecutor said although his account put him in the position of a "gardener" with a less significant role in the operation, other elements suggested a significant role. 

These included that Asani had lived at the home for free and would have known the scale of the operation. 

In his interview, Asani told police he was scared to leave the property as the people who originally took him there attended regularly.

And Asani claimed he didn't know how to contact police.

Mr Jackson added: "The offence is aggravated by the bypassing of the electricity supply and the professionalism of the set-up."

READ MORE: Employee stole springs from Worcestershire firm

READ MORE: Police raid home in Chestnut Street, Arboretum

Sarah Day, defending, said Asani performed a limited role under direction. 

"He would have had no influence on those above him in the chain," she said. 

"The defendant knows what he did was wrong and he is extremely sorry for it."

CASE: Mhill Asani appeared at Worcester Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

She added Asani, who had no previous convictions, had found it difficult being held in an overcrowded prison before the hearing and had suffered panic attacks. 

His Honour Judge James Burbidge KC said although he had no financial value on the plants - as there had been no evidence of a potential yield - Asani had been involved in a commercial operation at an "ordinary home" designed to bring in a significant amount of money. 

The judge said Asani's gain had been to live somewhere that gave him the ability to avoid the immigration authorities who were searching for him.

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The judge jailed Asani for a year and explained it could not be suspended as Asani was an illegal immigrant unable to undertake a community sentence, and the offence was so serious a custodial sentence had to be imposed.

The judge added whether Asani would be deported would now be a matter for the Home Office.

The judge sent a date for a proceeds of crime hearing and encouraged police to look into who had funded Asani's defence as he turned down legal aid. 

Eyewitnesses told us there was a large police presence in Chestnut Street on March 25. 

Residents had said they were left without electricity as their power was turned off during the raid, as it emerged the mains cable had been tampered with.