£1m 'skunk' factory man to pay back £10,000

A court has ordered Chang Chun, who was jailed for five years last November for his part in the operation at Conisbrough, to pay back the money obtained in rent payments relating to the premises.

Another man, 28-year-old Yan Chen, was locked up for three years for running the drugs factory in a unit behind the Dragon Spring chinese restaurant off Sheffield Road.

Detectives raiding the premises last June found more than 5,500 plants that would have produced up to 109kg of “skunk” with a street value of more than £1.1 million.

Det Insp Steve Handley described the raid, which amounted to the Doncaster Drugs Unit’s biggest ever scoop, as “a massive result”.

The drug factory was professionally run, with the unit having been divided into six growing rooms and kitchen, bedroom and bathroom sections.

CCTV cameras around the premises were linked to a TV in the bedroom area to ensure that it was kept covert.

Chung Chan, of Dragon Spring Bungalow, Sheffield Road, admitted permitting the production of class B drugs, while Yan Chen, of no fixed address, admitted producing class B drugs.

Police successfully applied for the confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act at Doncaster Crown Court last Friday.