A dopey crime gang who gambled on setting up a cannabis farm in a former betting shop backed a loser because it was quickly busted.
Two Vietnamese cannabis gardeners had been deployed to look after the fledgling farm in a disused Betfred shop in Gateshead.
Police were alerted to the fact there was movement in the premises and turned up to find the drugs factory.
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Nguyen Hoanganh and Quang Dao, who were in the UK illegally, were arrested at the scene and have now been jailed for cultivating cannabis.
Newcastle Crown Court heard it was on the night of January 12 last year that the police found the farm.
Some 152 seedling plants were discovered, along with paraphernalia associated with growing the drug.
Due to the early stage they were at, each plant was only worth £10 but the potential yield was far greater.
Hoanganh and Dao, neither of who have previous convictions, were both jailed for six months.
The court heard Hoanganh had only arrived in the country last year but Dao had been here for years and was a registered absconder.
Lorraine Mustard, for Dao, said a pre-sentence report shows he poses a low risk of harm and re-offending.
She said that he has not right to remain in the UK and added: "There is some suggestion pressure was brought to bear.
"There are gambling debts. His wife and child at home in Vietnam were subject to threats. These were serious enough that Mr Dao agreed to get in a van and was driven from Leeds.
"He was delivered to these premises as the equipment was."
Hoanganh's barrister said he was also classed as posing a low risk of harm and re-offending.
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