Man ‘effectively living in cardboard box at growhouse’

A man was effectively living in a cardboard box at a growhouse when gardaí raided it.

Malaysian Soon Hock Hoo, 34, was discovered in the squalid living conditions when detectives swooped on the grow-house at Johnstown Demesne, Cornafulla, just off the old Athlone-Ballinasloe road on Dec 19.

Detective Sergeant Adrian Queeney told Roscommon Circuit Court that a search team had arrived at the 4,000sq ft premises, which was divided into six rooms. A total of 700 cannabis plants were growing in the rooms. A bag containing 3.5kg of cannabis herb was also discovered at the premises.