TWO men caught growing a huge cannabis farm at an industrial works have been ordered to pay back £130,000.

Ramzan Ahmed, and Asim Ahmad, were arrested and jailed after police officers found an 'Aladdin's Cave' of stolen car parts when they raided Pilot Industrial Works in Manchester Road, Bolton.

After a proceeds of crime act (POCA) hearing at Bolton Crown Court, Ahmed was found to have benefitted from crime to the extent of £99,241 and must now pay £76,000 back or be jailed for 21 months.

Ahmad will be in custody for 18 more months if he does not pay £54,774. The hearing found that he had benefitted to the tune of £78,015 from crime.

The remains of 20 stolen cars and a 300-plant cannabis farm had been found in the two units.

The court later heard how Ahmed had leased the units, using the bigger one for his car parts business and the other for the cannabis farm run by Ahmad.

Tony Wood, financial investigator for Bolton, said: “POCA makes sure people who commit crime can’t benefit from it by having extravagant lifestyles with expensive holidays, cars and homes. It also prevents those people from becoming potential role models in the areas where they live.

“We have proven that these two men have benefited from their crimes to the tune of tens of thousands of pounds.

“If they fail to pay society this money back, they will have to spend even more time in prison.

“We will not stand by and let people enjoy the fruits of dishonest labour.

"If people are concerned about members living in their community who are clearly living extraordinary lifestyles beyond their means we will investigate.”

The pair were arrested on March 14, 2011, and were jailed on March 26, 2013.

Ahmed, aged 36, of New Lane, Breightmet, admitted producing cannabis with the intent to supply and 14 counts of handling stolen goods. He was jailed for four years.

Ahmad, aged 35, of College Drive, Whalley Range, Manchester, denied the same drugs charge but was found guilty after trial and jailed for 42 months.

Father-of-three Ahmed initially set up a legitimate car parts business after losing his job as an IT worker with Fujitsu, the court was told at his sentencing hearing.

Judge Peter Davies told him he was in charge of “an Aladdin’s Cave of stolen car parts”.