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A MAN who claims he started a cannabis grow house to pay back a gambling debt has been sentenced to three years in jail.
Van Ri Nguyen, 60, was sentenced in the Bendigo County Court on Friday on one count of cultivating a commercial quantity of cannabis, and one count of theft.
The court heard Nguyen ran the 100-plant grow house on Coleraine Drive, Romsey, until it was detected by police in May 2016.
The Vietnamese-Australian claimed he started the operation in an attempt to pay off a $220,000 debt he accumulated to “associates” playing blackjack at Melbourne’s Crown Casino.
Judge Paul Lacava said Nguyen’s role was more than just as a “crop sitter”.
“In my view, you can probably be described as the principal offender,” he said.
“This was a sophisticated hydroponic setup.
“This is a prevalent offence, so any sentence must deter others.”
Nguyen was convicted and sentenced to three years jail with a non-parole period of 22 months. He has already served 288 days in custody.