Vietnamese deaths in West Midlands linked to cannabis trade

Jan 17 2010 by Adam Aspinall, Sunday Mercury

THE deaths of two Vietnamese men in Birmingham could be linked to the lucrative cannabis trade, it was claimed last night.

And a police source has told the Sunday Mercury that the mystery men could also be connected to a THIRD BODY found in Buckinghamshire.

West Midlands Police has looked at possible links between the man found in Smethwick and the other discovered in Hockley, but are treating them as separate investigations at this stage.

They are refusing to connect the cases to the discovery of a third body found on a slip road next to the M40 in Denham, Bucks. The victim was believed to be that of an Eastern European man.

All three men were discovered over Tuesday and Wednesday. None have yet been identified.

And a police source claimed the deaths could be linked to the huge cannabis trade which is run from leafy suburbs across the West Midlands.

He said: “I’ve been told that these three deaths are linked and are connected to the cannabis trade.

“I have worked in this area before and it’s highly unusual to encounter murder in the Vietnamese community.

“I believe that these men were illegal immigrants involved in the cannabis trade who may have made some kind of huge mistake. What we are seeing here is some kind of punishment, from my experience.

“These guys have either made a mistake, or got involved in something they shouldn’t have done.”

The Midlands has witnessed an explosion in the number of secret cannabis farms cropping up in rented homes and old buildings in the last five years.

The rise has turned home-grown cannabis from a cottage industry into a multi-million pound business.

Organised crime gangs from south east Asia are thought to be behind the rapid growth of the DIY drugs across the country.