POLICE found 625 cannabis plants capable of realising a crop with worth over £100,000 when they raided a house in Cwmbran a court heard.

The electricity supply at the premises in Croesyceiliog had been by-passed and it was later estimated that a total of electricity worth £13,643 had been unlawfully taken, Newport crown court was told.

So Men Lau, 29, of Grosvenor Place, Pontypool, James Evans, 32, of Ty Box Road, Pontypool, So Sun Lau, 28, of Windsor Road, Griffithstown, and Nhan Cao, 20, of Grove Place, Pontypool, have pleaded not guilty to producing cannabis.

Evans and the two Laus also deny money laundering.

Prosecutor Michael Jones said at the start of 2004, So Men Lau took out a tenancy at a house in Cwrt Glas, Croesyceiliog.

Neighbours said the curtains often appeared shut yet the lights were always on, there were banging and humming sounds and "a strong, pungent aroma".

On March 23, 2006, police forced the front door and searched the premises.

There they found a man of Vietnamese origin, Hung Sy Cao.

Police seized the cannabis plants and discovered a complex wiring and cultivation system including air ducts.

The jury heard that Hung Sy Cao told the police he had paid £8,000 to get into Britain and had been allowed to stay on the premises to tend the plants.

He has since pleaded guilty to the cultivation of cannabis, he received six months imprisonment and was deported.

Police discovered that So Men Lau was the tenant of Cwrt Glas and of an address at Windsor Road, Pontypool, and had connections with the Golden Gate Chinese Take-away, Cwmbran, and a Chinese take-away in Griffithstown.

Another address rented by Lau at the Highway, Croesyceiliog, was searched and the court heard there was evidence that this had once been "a cannabis factory" where at least 400 plants had been grown.

It is alleged that So Men Lau had entered negotiations to buy four properties in Florida and had also paid deposits for properties in Bridgend, Swansea and Manchester.

He claimed to the police he made money by gambling.

Woman shopped at Harrods and Tiffany's - claim Evans, it is alleged, told the police he was a delivery driver for the Golden Gate Take-away earning about £200 a week.

It is alleged the police found documents relating to the transfer £18,000 via his own bank account to an account in Vietnam.

So Sun Lau, the sister of the first defendant, admitted that he would often give her cash to put in her own account and that she had no other income other than earning £1,000 per month.

The police discovered that a significant amount of unexplained credits had been put through her account and that she had bought high value goods in London at shops such as Harrods, Prada, and Tiffany's.

Nahn Hong Cao said she knew nothing about the production of cannabis.

She said she had studied English locally and had worked in a nail bar.

Proceeding.