Expensive equipment was used to cultivate the cannabis

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Jian He, 29, leased three houses in Cambuslang and one in Glasgow which were converted into cannabis "farms".

They were staffed by Vietnamese men who operated the equipment and grew the cannabis.

Lord Hodge recommended that He be deported at the end of his sentence.

The court heard that the 29-year-old came to the UK to seek asylum 10 years ago claiming his family were being persecuted by the Chinese government.

He admitted two charges of producing and supplying cannabis from the three rented houses in Cumbuslang and one in Glasgow.

Two of the three Cambuslang factories were in Hawthorn Way and the other was in West Farm Grove. The Glasgow factory was in Ben Vorlich Drive.

'Highly organised'

It cost between �10,000 and �15,000 to equip each house with the sophisticated cultivation equipment.

He was involved in the operation between 1 November 2006 and 21 February 2007, during which time the cannabis crop could have yielded a potential �600,000.

The judge, Lord Hodge, pointed out that the "farms" could have produced the same crop every 12 weeks.

Jailing He for five years and three months, Lord Hodge said he had been involved in highly organised criminal activity to cultivate cannabis on a commercial scale.

He was arrested after a police crackdown called Operation League.

Earlier this month three Vietnamese men were jailed for two years for their part in the cannabis growing operation.