Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
A cannabis grower from Machynlleth has been jailed for his role in a major national drug distribution network worth £1.2 million.
Mark John Roberts of Pencaemawr, Penegoes, near Machynlleth will serve two years four months in jail after being found guilty of cultivating the plant at two sites in mid-Wales, including one near the town.
He was one of a 12-strong organized crime group from across the UK who appeared in court for their roles in the "industrial scale" scheme.
The gang have been sentenced to a total of 39 years and two days during two days of hearings at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this month.
The men were only caught when they hurriedly cleared out plants from a property that was due to be inspected by the local authority landlord, leaving crucial evidence behind.
Police have now released pictures of the farms used to grow the drugs over a six month period between August 2016 and February 2017.
The largest site was at Tower House Farm in South Staffordshire which had nine modified rooms for growing the substance.
Alongside the farmhouse, they grew cannabis at one site in Liverpool and two in mid Wales.
Sentencing them Judge Denis Watson, QC, said the men had conducted a "sophisticated operation on an industrial scale."
Six were jailed for their part in the plot, including the organizers Gary Long, 30, of Eagle Dene Fazakerley, and Peter Snape, 29, of Montrovia Crescent Fazakerley. Another six were sent down after pleading guilty to conspiracy to produce a controlled substance.
Five of the men worked as paid 'gardeners' in the scheme which saw £1.2million worth of cannabis grown between four farms across the country.
Gavin Laffey, 39, of Imrie Street Anfield was jailed for three years for his role maintaining the cannabis plants.
Ian Hayes, 30, of Appleton Road Kirkby and James Marsh,28 of Longmoor Lane Fazakerley will serve two years and four months, and three years and two months respectively for growing cannabis at Tower House Farm and one site in Wales.
James Foy, 23, was jailed two years and 11 months for working on the farms at Tower House Farm and in a room in his own flat on Formosa Way in Fazakerley.
Paul Ward, a 35-year-old electrician from Carlake Grove, Walton, was jailed for his role helping the group steal £33,000 of electricity at a bungalow in mid Wales where the group grew cannabis.
The convictions are the culmination of a series of raids and a six-month operation investigating an organized crime group based in the Fazakerley and Kirkby areas of Merseyside, and suspected of being involved in large-scale cannabis cultivation in the Merseyside, Staffordshire and Dyfed Powys areas in March this year.
Det Insp Nick Hughes from North West regional organized crime unit Titan said: "These substantial jail sentences should serve as a warning to people about the consequences of becoming involved in organized crime.
"The cannabis this gang were growing was lining their pockets, enabling them to live comfortable lifestyles whilst flooding their communities with drugs.
"It was a sophisticated set up capable of producing far more crops in a year than most other cannabis farms we've ever seen.
"They thought they could avoid detection by setting up in isolated buildings in rural areas but our work with local forces shows that they is no place for organized crime groups to hide.
"Criminals involved in the cultivation of cannabis are often involved in other serious organized crime which brings significant harm to the very communities they are from.
"Every plant the police seize represents money being taken from the pockets of criminals and I'd encourage the public to keep telling us where these farms are so we can take action."
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Inside the drug farms where lb1.2m worth of cannabis was being cultivated - Daily Post
Author: Zara Whelan
Contact: Daily Post: Latest North Wales news, sport, what's on and business
Photo Credit: Merseyside Police
Website: Daily Post: Latest North Wales news, sport, what's on and business
Mark John Roberts of Pencaemawr, Penegoes, near Machynlleth will serve two years four months in jail after being found guilty of cultivating the plant at two sites in mid-Wales, including one near the town.
He was one of a 12-strong organized crime group from across the UK who appeared in court for their roles in the "industrial scale" scheme.
The gang have been sentenced to a total of 39 years and two days during two days of hearings at Liverpool Crown Court earlier this month.
The men were only caught when they hurriedly cleared out plants from a property that was due to be inspected by the local authority landlord, leaving crucial evidence behind.
Police have now released pictures of the farms used to grow the drugs over a six month period between August 2016 and February 2017.
The largest site was at Tower House Farm in South Staffordshire which had nine modified rooms for growing the substance.
Alongside the farmhouse, they grew cannabis at one site in Liverpool and two in mid Wales.
Sentencing them Judge Denis Watson, QC, said the men had conducted a "sophisticated operation on an industrial scale."
Six were jailed for their part in the plot, including the organizers Gary Long, 30, of Eagle Dene Fazakerley, and Peter Snape, 29, of Montrovia Crescent Fazakerley. Another six were sent down after pleading guilty to conspiracy to produce a controlled substance.
Five of the men worked as paid 'gardeners' in the scheme which saw £1.2million worth of cannabis grown between four farms across the country.
Gavin Laffey, 39, of Imrie Street Anfield was jailed for three years for his role maintaining the cannabis plants.
Ian Hayes, 30, of Appleton Road Kirkby and James Marsh,28 of Longmoor Lane Fazakerley will serve two years and four months, and three years and two months respectively for growing cannabis at Tower House Farm and one site in Wales.
James Foy, 23, was jailed two years and 11 months for working on the farms at Tower House Farm and in a room in his own flat on Formosa Way in Fazakerley.
Paul Ward, a 35-year-old electrician from Carlake Grove, Walton, was jailed for his role helping the group steal £33,000 of electricity at a bungalow in mid Wales where the group grew cannabis.
The convictions are the culmination of a series of raids and a six-month operation investigating an organized crime group based in the Fazakerley and Kirkby areas of Merseyside, and suspected of being involved in large-scale cannabis cultivation in the Merseyside, Staffordshire and Dyfed Powys areas in March this year.
Det Insp Nick Hughes from North West regional organized crime unit Titan said: "These substantial jail sentences should serve as a warning to people about the consequences of becoming involved in organized crime.
"The cannabis this gang were growing was lining their pockets, enabling them to live comfortable lifestyles whilst flooding their communities with drugs.
"It was a sophisticated set up capable of producing far more crops in a year than most other cannabis farms we've ever seen.
"They thought they could avoid detection by setting up in isolated buildings in rural areas but our work with local forces shows that they is no place for organized crime groups to hide.
"Criminals involved in the cultivation of cannabis are often involved in other serious organized crime which brings significant harm to the very communities they are from.
"Every plant the police seize represents money being taken from the pockets of criminals and I'd encourage the public to keep telling us where these farms are so we can take action."
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Inside the drug farms where lb1.2m worth of cannabis was being cultivated - Daily Post
Author: Zara Whelan
Contact: Daily Post: Latest North Wales news, sport, what's on and business
Photo Credit: Merseyside Police
Website: Daily Post: Latest North Wales news, sport, what's on and business