A THIRTY-one-year-old man arrested after police discovered an illegal cannabis factory a short distance from the force’s Carlisle HQ was ‘forced’ to help run the operation, a jury heard.

Carlisle Crown Court heard that the drug-growing operation was discovered by chance in July last year when an electrician was sent to investigate an electrical supply fault in an industrial unit.

Inside the Telford Road building police found more than 1,000 cannabis plants with an estimated street value of just over £200,000.

Also found in the property were living quarters for the operation’s workers - including sleeping facilities and a kitchen with food.

One of two men who were arrested as they tried to flee was Hai Dimh.

He denies a single charge of conspiring to produce the Class B drug, claiming that he was threatened with death if he failed to do what he was told.

Opening the case for the prosecution, prosecutor Arthur Gibson said that the essential facts about the cannabis factory were agreed by the defence and prosecution.

Two men have already admitted their part in the illegal operation.

But it was the prosecution’s case that Dimh was “willingly involved,” said Mr Gibson.

“It seems that he accepts he was involved,” said Mr Gibson.

“But it’s his case that he participated under duress; that he was threatened and that he would be killed if he didn’t do what he was told to do and if he tried to leave that unit.”

Describing the discovery of the cannabis factory on July 4, Mr Gibson said the landlord visited with an electrician because of an electricity supply issue.

Inside, they found a large marquee style tent, and 1,172 cannabis plants in various stages of maturity.

Electrical wiring had been redirected to power heating and lighting for the plants.

The electrician and his colleague also saw inside the building three men of "far eastern" appearance.

"This isn't a case of a few plants being grown by a bunch of hippies for their own use," said Mr Gibson.

"This case involves the production of cannabis on a commercial scale." The electrician and second man immediately alerted police at the nearby Durranhill Police HQ.

Dimh, of Eskdale Avenue, Oldham, later told officers that he had been in Carlisle for 20 days, having been "picked up off the street in Manchester."

But, said Mr Gibson, Dimh had two mobile phones.

These had been regularly used between May and July, said Mr Gibson.

When examined, one of those phones gave no indication that Dimh was under any compulsion to stay at the industrial unit, said the barrister.

The case continues.