Seven convicted in 'largest cannabis production case in Europe'
20/12/2012
Seven people were convicted today at the Central Criminal Court for their involvement in the "largest case of its type in Europe" concerning the production of high-strength cannabis and the supply of equipment for production.
The second of two trials centered on the supply of specialist equipment to produce high-yield crops of skunk cannabis between January 2006 and December 2010. In 2010 this conspiracy could have produced up to £120million worth of skunk cannabis. They will be sentenced at the Central Criminal Court on 18th January, 2013.
Jenny Hopkins, CPS London Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, said: "The case was described in court as seminal and the largest of its type in Europe. This conspiracy by a family-centred criminal organisation concerned the production of skunk cannabis on a truly industrial and unprecedented scale. It also involved producing and supplying specialist equipment to produce high-yield crops in cannabis farms, setting up companies to conduct criminal activity, staffing the cannabis farms and harvesting the crop.
"The conspiracy was linked to dozens of cannabis farms spread across the UK and Ireland including a cannabis farm in a warehouse in Essex which had some 8,000 mature cannabis plants and is believed to be the largest single cannabis farm discovered in the UK. These convictions, amounting to 18 in total, follow the second of two criminal trials which involved many months of work by the prosecution team who were faced with over 200,000 pages of material and an unprecedented volume of seized exhibits and equipment. In 2010 this conspiracy could have produced up to £120million worth of cannabis.
"CPS London is committed to working with its partners to help tackle drugs production and misuse and to protect our communities from these criminal operations."
Background information
Eighteen people have now been convicted in connection with the conspiracy.
Trial 2 - 12th December 2012
- Ngat Le, Hung Van Le, Thoung Van Tu, Than Nguyen, Freddie-Ross Johnson, Gary Hadley and Shaun Byrne were convicted of conspiracy to be concerned in the production of a controlled drug between January 2006 and December 2010 [count 1].
- Than Nguyen was also convicted of conspiracy to be concerned in the production of a controlled drug between September 2011 and September 2012 [count 3].
- Gary Hadley was acquitted of conspiracy to produce a controlled drug between January 2006 and December 2010 [count 2].
- Hoang Thanh Huynh and Richard Hilditch were acquitted of conspiracy to be concerned in the production of a controlled drug between January 2006 and December 2010.
Count 1 and 3 of the indictment alleged a conspiracy to be knowingly concerned in the production of a controlled drug by another. This conspiracy is essentially directed at the agreement to supply equipment to produce cannabis. Such equipment was distributed to shops and/or directly to individuals concerned in the production of cannabis at cannabis farms across the United Kingdom.
Count 2 alleged a conspiracy to produce cannabis. The essential difference was that the cannabis production in question was at cannabis farms set up and controlled by the named conspirators, with the resultant cannabis available for them to supply for profit.
Trial 1 - 14th February 2012
- Manh Toan Dang and Hung Tuan Dang convicted of conspiracy to be concerned in the production of a controlled drug, conspiracy to produce a controlled drug, false imprisonment and damaging property.
Guilty pleas (various dates)
- Van Quan Dang - conspiracy to be concerned in the production of a controlled drug, false imprisonment and damaging property.
- Nhien Van Dang - conspiracy to be concerned in the production of a controlled drug and conspiracy to produce a controlled drug.
- Ngoe Tien Ly - conspiracy to be concerned in the production of a controlled drug and conspiracy to produce a controlled drug.
- Hai Ban Tran - conspiracy to be concerned in the production of a controlled drug and conspiracy to produce a controlled drug.
- Tuan Van Le - conspiracy to be concerned in the production of a controlled drug.
- Andre Davis - conspiracy to produce a controlled drug.
- Nhat Nguyen - conspiracy to be concerned in the production of a controlled drug.
- Trong Van Le - conspiracy to be concerned in the production of a controlled drug.
- Jamie Covington - conspiracy to produce a controlled drug
