A MAN who paid up to £3,000 a time to rent houses across the Black Country so they could then be turned into large scale cannabis factories has been locked up for 32 months.

Mazhar Pathan, aged 28, who was looking to pocket some "easy money" to clear his debts, was told by Recorder Geoffrey Kelly he had played a "crucial" role in the racket.

At Wolverhampton Crown Court, the Recorder said: "This criminal enterprise could not have operated without the properties provided by you. It was drug production on a very significant although not industrial scale."

Mark Phillips, prosecuting, said Pathan used a false name, forged documentation and cash provided by the gang when dealing with landlords to build his crooked portfolio which included a property in Netherton.

He said Pathan whose money troubles began when he lost his job in the telecommunications industry "fixed" houses for the drug growing gang.

Mr Phillips said Pathan paid out £1,100 in cash to rent a Halesowen property which was found to contain 152 growing cannabis plants when it was raided by police officers.

But he was rumbled when he used his own mobile phone to report a suspected burglary at another property and after discovering the drugs factory police officers were able to track him down.

Jas Mann, for Pathan, said his client had taken out a loan to build an extension to his home at a time when he was earning a good salary.

But his earnings then plummeted when he was made redundant and he found himself banking in a month what he used to pick up in a week.

Mr Mann said: "He found himself in a fix and he acted totally out of character, this offending was financially driven. He was being paid £3,000 to rent the properties but he had nothing at all to do with growing the cannabis."

Pathan of Bescot Road, Walsall, admitted being concerned in the production of cannabis and money laundering.