Court hears 'exploited' cannabis growhouse worker was found in chimney breast of luxury house by sniffer dog

A Garda sniffer dog, Laser, detected a cannabis growhouse worker hiding in the chimney breast of a luxury lakeside home last May, a court has heard.

At Ennis Circuit Court, Garda Paddy Regan said that mother of two, Thuy Thi Nguyen (aged 33) was found hidden in the chimney breast during the search of Tinarana House on the shores of Lough Derg on May 31st last.

Garda Regan said that Laser was trained in following the scent of persons and Ms Thi Nguyen was the only person found and arrested at the scene.

Garda Regan stated that the value of the 1,140 mature cannabis plants found at the 16-bedroom period home totalled €912,000.

Garda Regan said that Ms Thi Nguyen had worked at the growhouse for a couple of months and she told gardaí that she was never paid for her work.

Ms Thi Nguyen has pleaded guilty to cultivating without a licence cannabis plants at Tinarana House on May 31 last contrary to Section 17 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Ms Thi Nguyen has been on remand in custody since her arrest on May 31.

When Ms Nguyen was first cautioned and charged with the offence last June, she replied: “I feel upset and scared because they forced me to do it.”

Garda Regan said that migrant worker, Ms Thi Nguyen had arrived under false pretences at the address and had no knowledge that there was a growhouse at the address.

Ms Thi Nguyen is the mother of two boys aged nine and 10 and wanted to do restaurant work here and according to Garda Regan was the sole person present at the address on the day.

Garda Regan said that the growhouse operation was very professional, before adding that Tinarana House has been disused since 2013.

Counsel for Ms Thi Nguyen, Mark Nicholas SC said that the property “was owned by people locally more so for an investment”.

Mr Nicholas said that his client has no trappings of wealth and left behind her two boys in Vietnam in order to provide for them.

He said that Ms Thi Nguyen is from a rural area of Vietnam and left school at 12 and went to work first went to Russia picking fruit before moving across Europe in the back of trucks.

He said: “Hers is a tale that speaks of gross and great inequality.

She was disenfranchised had no real rights, desperate - the perfect ingredients to be exploited.

Ms Thi Nguyen broke down in tears as Mr Nicholas recounted how she came to be in Ireland.

Mr Nicholas said that the decisions made by Ms Thi Nguyen “were not really voluntary” and that she was “a very low-level cog”.

Garda Regan stated that Ms Thi Nguyen has no previous convictions.

Judge Gerard Keys said that Ms Thi Nguyen “has been totally exploited”

He said: “What concerns me is what happens now?”

After taking instructions from Ms Thi Nguyen, Mr Nicholas stated that she doesn’t wish to return to Vietnam if she is released from custody as there is nothing in Vietnam to support her.

He said that Ms Thi Nguyen wishes to remain in Ireland and take her chances.

Mr Nicholas said: “She finds a kindness here - a kindness she hasn’t found in other countries.

She is prepared to take her chances and try to build something positive in this country - a country that she loves, even though the experience is not something that Bord Failte would write about.

Counsel for the State, Lorcan Connolly BL said that if Ms Thi Nguyen is released she would likely to be a candidate for deportation.

He said: “In any enforced removal she would have an entitlement to be heard. She does’t have status in this country as things stand.”

Judge Keys remanded Ms Thi Nguyen in custody and adjourned sentencing to Friday.