Tuan Tran arrested and remanded in custody until his trial

Tuan Tran, aged 38, who is from Vietnam, pleaded not guilty at Northampton Crown Court yesterday to producing cannabis and being concerned in its production with persons unknown.He was arrested after officers from Northamptonshire Police raided a house in Charwelton, near Daventry, on Monday, January 7 and discovered a sophisticated cannabis factory of more than 500 plants, worth an estimated £150,000 – the third raid of its kind in the county during the first week of the year.Judge Charles Wide QC heard how the prosecution alleges Tran's DNA was found on a discarded cigarette within the property and had the keys on him at the time of his arrest.At the time of the raid, Northamptonshire Police was dismantling cannabis farms at a rate of more than three each month as the trade in the class C drug moves from imported quantities to the home grown hydroponics substance. The factory was uncovered as a result of information provided to officers from Charwelton residents.
Tran, of Woolwich, London, was further remanded in custody until his trial later this year

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Richard Freeman

Police were called to Richard Freeman's home on June 9 last year after receiving an allegation he was responsible for rape.
Northampton Crown Court heard the allegation was later dropped, but a search of the 24-year-old's home uncovered a large stash of crack and heroin hidden in his wardrobe.
Matthew Brookes-Baker, prosecuting, said Freeman admitted the offence, but on the basis he was warehousing the drugs for amurder suspect, who was not named.
Police who searched Freeman's home, in Holly Road, Abington, found almost £2,000 of heroin and £6,725 of crack.
Freeman, who pleaded guilty to charges of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply, was jailed for four-and-a-half years.
Judge Richard Bray said: "Nobody seems to be a drug dealer any more, they are just holding the drugs for other people – certainly those who appear in this court.
"This was a substantial amount of crack cocaine and heroin, both of high concentrations."
The court heard Freeman, formerly of Farnbrook Court, Thorplands, who has 125 previous convictions, had been using drugs since he was 13 but was now clean.
Richard Holloway, defending, said: "His part in this was his premises being used as a safe house.
"No money was found on him as he was living hand-to-mouth at the time with no lavish lifestyle."

The full article contains 259 words and appears in Northampton Chron & Echo newspaper.

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Jay, Des and Jimmy.

evidence was collected by officers using secret video and audio surveillance as they bought heroin, crack cocaine and amphetamine while posing as addicts called Jay, Des and Jimmy.
Twenty-seven dealers were jailed, with five being recommended for deportation, while six other suppliers were given community sentences.
In a four-month crackdown, three officers recruited from other police forces went undercover to target crack and heroin dealers.
The crackdown began as Operation Nullify an undercover test-purchase sting where Once the surveillance and drugs deals were completed as Operation Nullify, between October 2005 and January 2007, Operation Nailed was launched with dozens of arrests being made.

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