FIVE men have been ordered to pay a total of £659,774.71 under the Proceeds of Crime Act after a successful investigation into a major drug smuggling operation coordinated from Worcestershire.
The major nationwide and international investigation into the importation of cannabis, amphetamines and MDMA – the main constituent of ecstasy, saw arrests take place across the West Midlands region as well as in The Netherlands.
The operation was launched in July 2013 and led by the Serious and Organised Crime Unit of Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police, supported by the Regional Asset Recovery Team for the West Midlands. It saw a total of £13.5 million worth of drugs seized, including more than 1000 kg of cannabis, 107 kg of MDMA and 64 kg of amphetamines.
The drugs were imported into the UK from various locations in the Netherlands using legitimate hauliers who had no idea of the true nature of the loads they were carrying. Once in the UK the drugs were taken to haulage yards in the West Mercia and Midlands area, where the parcels were separated and subsequently collected by organised crime groups from around the UK. All of this activity was coordinated from a small office on a farm in Kempsey, Worcestershire.
Some of the men convicted following the investigation have appeared in court and been told to pay back money under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
In November 2014 Robert Whitehouse, 70, was sentenced to 22 years and six months in prison for conspiracy to import class A, conspiracy to import class B, conspiracy to supply MDMA, conspiracy to supply amphetamine and conspiracy to supply cannabis after pleading guilty to the indictments.
On Monday (January 9, 2017) Whitehouse, formerly from Dusthouse Lane, Finstall, Bromsgrove, was ordered to pay back a total of £442,945.67 under the Proceeds of Crime Act when he appeared at Birmingham Crown Court for a confiscation hearing.
Robert Scott, 69, formerly from Broughton Hackett, Worcester, was sentenced in 2014 to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to import class A, conspiracy to import class B, conspiracy to supply MDMA, conspiracy to supply amphetamine and conspiracy to supply cannabis after pleading guilty. He was ordered to pay £44,966.88 under the Proceeds of Crime Act when he appeared at Birmingham Crown Court for a confiscation hearing on October 27, 2016.
Peter Hillback, 44, formerly of Cheslyn Hay, Walsall, was sentenced in 2014 to 14 years and four months for conspiracy to import class A, conspiracy to import class B, conspiracy to supply MDMA, conspiracy to supply amphetamine and conspiracy to supply cannabis after pleading guilty. He was ordered to pay £10,967.15 under the Proceeds of Crime Act when he appeared at Birmingham Crown Court for a confiscation hearing on September 25, 2015.
Nigel Gordon Powell, 54, formerly of Ross-on-Wye, was sentenced in 2014 to 17 years and four months for conspiracy to import class A, conspiracy to import class B, conspiracy to supply MDMA, conspiracy to supply amphetamine and conspiracy to supply cannabis following a trial. He was ordered to pay £3820.00 under the Proceeds of Crime Act when he appeared at Birmingham Crown Court for a confiscation hearing on October 30, 2015.
Nikki Whybrow, age 39, formerly of Aylsham Lane, Romford, Essex, was sentenced in 2015 to 4 years and six months for possession with intent to supply cannabis. He was ordered to pay £157,075.01 under the Proceeds of Crime Act when he appeared at Birmingham Crown Court for a confiscation hearing on January 12, 2016.
Inspector Andy Bailey said: “This investigation, known as Operation Goal, uncovered a significant organised crime group who were responsible for importing and distributing significant amounts of controlled drugs around the UK.
“The success of the investigation relied upon close cooperation with law enforcement agencies around the United Kingdom and Europe.
“We would like to thank all the UK forces and agencies involved in supporting our inquiries – the Warwickshire, Bedfordshire, Gloucestershire, Staffordshire, Gwent, Greater Manchester and West Midlands forces, the West Midlands Regional Asset Recovery Team and National Crime Agency – as well as the Dutch and German authorities.
“The dedication and combined efforts of these police forces and agencies resulted in the disruption of this organised crime group and also saw a huge quantity of illegal drugs taken off the streets. The sentences that these men have received, followed by the recent significant confiscation orders should send out a clear message to all criminals, or those thinking of getting involved in criminal activity, that crime does not pay.”
