Man sentenced for modern day slavery offences in Rugby
Police said he recruited a man to live at an address in Rugby and tend to a large-scale cannabis factory that had been set up
A 31-year-old man has been sentenced for modern day slavery offences in Rugby.
Dung Nguyen, a Vietnamese national, of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, appeared at Warwick Crown Court on Thursday 9 October.
Between March 2024 and July 2024, the defendant used fraudulent documents in order to secure a tenancy at an address in Manor Road, Rugby.
After gaining access to the property, he recruited a man in his twenties to live in the address and tend to the large-scale cannabis factory that had been set up.
The defendant used violence against the victim and threats to his family to maintain control over him over a period of several months until the victim eventually had the courage to seek support from a member of the public, who then reported it to us.
A significant and complex investigation then followed and Nguyen was arrested and charged on 9 April following a warrant at his home address in Derbyshire.
Four simultaneous warrants were executed across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and West Yorkshire, where varying classifications of drugs were seized, along with evidence of fraudulent documents.
Nguyen pleaded guilty of: holding a person in slavery or servitude, being concerned in the production of cannabis and fraud by false representation.
Last Thursday, he was sentenced to three years and seven months imprisonment and will be subject to a Deportation Order.
Following the outcome, DCI Dave Andrews said: “Our officers worked tirelessly on this protracted investigation which demonstrated the complex nature of this type of offending. This result is Warwickshire Police’s first Human Trafficking conviction for several years and is a testament to the passion and dedication of our officers.
“Nguyen’s crimes not only caused harm in Rugby, but also elsewhere in the UK & overseas. His conviction should be a clear message that criminal exploitation will not be tolerated in Warwickshire and we will continue to work with our partners to disrupt this type of criminality. We were supported by officers from Derbyshire Police, West Yorkshire Police, Nottinghamshire Police and beyond during our enforcement phase earlier this year, while the victim received ongoing support from specialist services to aid them in their recovery.”
Detective Inspector Vicki Newton said: “We know that Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking & Exploitation continue to impact communities in Warwickshire, and our Trafficking & Exploitation team will continue to work in partnership to combat these threats and support those individuals affected by them.
“We cannot do this work without the support of our communities - if members of the public have any concerns regarding Modern Slavery, Human Trafficking or Exploitation please report them to us, specialist support for victims is available in Warwickshire.”