Pau Liu – landlord of the Red Lion in Cross Gates, Leeds – used illegal immigrants to live and work as gardeners in squalid conditions at the cannabis farms in Leeds, Knottingley near Pontefract, Bradford and the Midlands.

Houses and former factories were rented using false details and converted into sophisticated cannabis producing operations.
Red Lion landlady and Liu's wife Tiek Yean Leong, 43, was 'bookkeeper' and kept detailed records for the two year-long criminal enterprise from 2005 to 2007.

When police raided the couple's pub in Cross Gates Lane they discovered more than £60,000 of jewellery and £69,000 cash.
A Leeds Crown Court judge yesterday jailed father-of-six Liu and five co-accused for a total of 36-and-a-half years.

A rented five bedroom house in Monk Bridge Street, Leeds was gutted and converted into a cannabis farm along with a detached house on Harrogate Road, Leeds and others in Bradford.

When police raided the former Roberts warehouse on Spawd Bone Lane, Knottingley, they discovered a massive cannabis producing plant and a gardener hiding in a cupboard.

The Knottingley farm had bedroom compartments and showers for the live-in gardeners.

Police estimate the 40 plus kilos of cannabis recovered from that site had a street value of more than £350,000.
An £18,000 generator went through £40,000 of oil in six months powering the intensive lighting and heating systems needed to grow drugs on a massive scale.

Prosecutor Richard Wright, said: "The potential profits run into hundreds of thousands and even millions of pounds."
Liu, 41, also known as Johnny, even tried to rent a former pig farm in North Yorkshire, but the land agent turned him into the police after being invited to join the conspiracy.

Liu failed to turn up to yesterday's sentencing hearing and was jailed for nine years in his absence.

A warrant was issued for his arrest.
His wife Tiek Yean Leong was jailed for six years.
Richard Hamilton, 42, of Fearnville Grove, Oakwood, Leeds, who managed the cannabis farms, was jailed for five years.
Chivu Vong, 44, of Daleside Road, Shipley, a main player in renting out properties to be used as farms, was jailed for 10 years. Wai Chao, 44, of Beckhill Avenue, Meanwood, who played a significant role in converting premises, was jailed for five years.

Stephen Newsome, 43, of North Park Street, Dewsbury, ran hydrophonics business Eye 1 Der on Bradford Road, Batley. He supplied the gang with equipment used in cannabis cultivation. Newsome was given 18 months.

Voong's ex-wife Kim Tran, 42, of Commercial Street, Shipley, rented a property later used as a cannabis farm using a false name and address.
Judge Kerry Macgill jailed her for 12 months suspended for two years and ordered her to do 100 hours unpaid work.

Voong and Hamilton fought the conspiracy to produce cannabis charge but were convicted by a Leeds Crown Court jury after a trial.

The other defendants had pleaded guilty.

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