Police shut down a cannabis farm in Blackpool town centre only to find it back in production 9 months later
Police shut down a cannabis farm in Blackpool town centre only to find it was back in production in the same house nine months later, a court heard.
But the same Iranian national arrested at the property on both occasions told officers he had been threatened by gang bosses to look after the crops or his family would be harmed.
A judge in Preston took pity on Farhad Obeidian after he claimed he was a victim of modern day slavery.
Instead the 40-year-old, who pleaded guilty to two counts of producing Class B drugs, was handed a community order and ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work in the next year.
The city’s Crown Court was told police were tipped off by members of the public about a possible cannabis grow in a semi-detached house in St Bede’s Avenue not far from Blackpool’s South Pier.
When officers raided the property on October 2023 they were met by a strong smell of cannabis. Obeidian, who let them in, admitted he was growing the drug.
They found 100 mature cannabis plants in two rooms of the house with a sophisticated heating and lighting system.
When he was interviewed he admitted he knew it was an offence and gave police a full account of how the farm had been set up.
He was released on bail to await a court appearance and the heating and lighting equipment was dismantled. But nine months later in July 2024 police received further information from the public about the same house and launched a second raid.
Once again Obeidian answered the door and invited them in. Again he admitted growing the drug and this time they discovered 60 cannabis plants with yet another cultivation system illegally rigged up to the power supply.
In an interview at the police station later the Iranian claimed he was a victim of modern-day slavery and had been forced to carry out the work due to threats of violence.
He told the police had had been recruited in Manchester by men who provided the plants and installed the equipment. He was ordered to look after the farm or he and his family would be harmed.
Defence barrister Sharon Watson said Obeidian, who gave his address as Burke Street, Scunthorpe, had no previous convictions in either the UK or in his homeland of Iran.
“At the age of 40 it is somewhat unusual for an individual to commit offences of this nature. They were entirely out of character for him.”
She said her client had a drug addiction but had been receiving help to stay clean. He had aspirations to get a job.
Recorder Ayesha Siddiqi said Obeidian had maintained he did not own the plants or the equipment and was just looking after them. He had been threatened with violence by men who the drugs belonged to and had been forced to return to Blackpool (after the first police raid) to look after the second crop.
The judge said his role in the drug gang had been a lesser one and there was no evidence to show he had a significant or leading role.
“You acted the way you did because of your drug problem, (but) you were contributing towards drug addiction in society.
“You are taking steps to address it and you need to continue that. This is a very serious offence and ordinarily I would have considered a custodial sentence. Having considered everything I feel the appropriate sentence is a community order.”
She also ordered him to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days and warned that if he breached the community order he could find himself in prison.
The judge ordered the confiscation and destruction of the drugs and equipment seized in both raids.