Detectives from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU) are today welcoming the sentencing of a 37 year-old woman for conspiracy to supply Class B drugs (amphetamine).
In July 2019, 10 men and one woman were sentenced to a total of 61 years and nine months in prison following two linked operations into the large-scale production of amphetamines.
Working alongside the National Crime Agency (NCA), the investigation centred around the creation of two illicit drug laboratories by criminals operating across the north of England.
In June 2018, following an extensive operation, officers carried out a warrant in Earby, Lancashire and discovered an industrial scale amphetamine laboratory, linked to an organised crime group (OCG) from across the north of England. The factory had the potential to manufacture hundreds of kilos of Class B Amphetamines at a time.
A number of OCG members were linked to this unit, as well as an address in Grenville Terrace, Ashton-Under-Lyne, from which Class A and B drugs (cocaine and amphetamine) were stored and distributed. A search warrant was carried out at Grenville Terrace, leading to the discovery of a second amphetamine laboratory.
In July 2019, 10 men and one woman were sentenced to a total of 61 years and nine months in prison following two linked operations into the large-scale production of amphetamines. In April 2020 Warren Mangan, 36, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to 18 months for conspiracy to supply amphetamine.
Today Alexander Smith (corr), 37, of St Ives Road, Wyken, Coventry, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court to 32 months in prison for conspiracy to supply amphetamine.
In passing sentence at Preston Crown Court Her Honour Judge Beverley Lunt told Smith that what she had done had been clearly for financial gain telling her: “You are not some sort of gopher, you are receiving and making phone calls. There was a police search warrant at your address in April when cash was found, you told the police it was money that was yours and had been saved. If you were coerced or under duress, that was your opportunity to say so, but you didn’t. You had other means to deal with this situation. You should have been thinking of your children, you could have left or spoken to authorities.
“I take into account the effect an immediate prison sentence would have, but it was for you to think of your children.”
Detective Chief Inspector Jason Pye, from NWROCU, said: “NWROCU exists to tackle and take down the most serious, hardened and organised criminals as well as their extended families.
“We cannot do this work alone and are grateful for our colleagues at NCA and the other police forces involved, for assisting and supporting us during this wide-ranging and ongoing investigation.
“Our message to those involved in drug supply is that you cannot escape justice and there are no borders, we will work with other forces to relentlessly pursue those profiting from serious organised crime.
“We will work with our communities to improve the quality of life for decent, law-abiding people and I would urge people to keep helping us do that by reporting any drug dealing or gun crime to the police or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
