Man jailed over £200,000 Shrewsbury cannabis farm

Pavel Tolumov, 40, a Bulgarian national, pleaded guilty to growing 245 cannabis plants at a property in Whitchurch Road.

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard that Tolumov told police he had initially come to the country to work, but when an offer fell through he agreed to grow the drug.

Joanne Barker, prosecuting, said that police had raided the house on August 31 and found that it had been kitted out for the operation.

She said: “All bedrooms upstairs and the loft and the living room of this house were all being used to grow cannabis.

“It was a sophisticated set-up. with purpose-built plaster boards over the walls and plastic sheeting on the windows and the floors.”

Judge Jim Tindal was told the property also contained lights, reflectors, filters, and electricity extraction equipment.

Ms Barker said there was evidence that it was not the first time the property had been used to grow the drug.

She said: “Two-hundred-and-forty-five plants were seized, providing a potential yield of more than £200,000.”

In interview with police Tolumov said he was being paid £300 a month to look after the operation and was expecting to receive a further £3,000 after the drug was harvested.

He told police he had taken no part in setting up the operation but also accepted that there had been no pressure on him to take on the role he had.

Ms Barker said investigations were continuing to find out who owned the house.

Sentencing, Judge Jim Tindal, said: “It is a common story, I do not doubt you came over to this country to find legitimate work but when that fell through you found unlawful work, used by people more sophisticated than you to effectively run a quite large-scale domestic cannabis farm.”

Tolumov was sentenced to 12 months in custody and Judge Tindal ordered the destruction of all drugs and paraphernalia.