Rochdale man jailed for involvement in large-scale amphetamine operation

A Rochdale man has been sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment for his involvement in a large-scale amphetamine operation.

Paul Forshaw, 39, of Kirkholt, Rochdale was sentenced to 20 months in prison at Preston Crown Court on Thursday (4 July 2019), after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis, possession of cannabis, possession with intent to supply amphetamine and possession with intent to supply cocaine.

Following two linked operations into the large-scale production of amphetamines, ten men and one woman were sentenced to a total of 61 years and nine months in prison.

Working alongside the National Crime Agency (NCA), the investigation by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU) centred around the creation of two illicit drug laboratories by criminals operating across the north of England.

Officers carried out a warrant at Unit 11, Victoria Mill, Boot Street, Earby, Lancashire on 6 June 2018 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.

Paul Marley, 43, of Glossop, Derbyshire, and other OCG members were linked to this unit, as well as an address in Ashton-Under-Lyne, from which Class A and B drugs (cocaine and amphetamine) were stored and distributed.

On Tuesday, 7 August 2018, a search warrant was carried out at Grenville Terrace in Glossop, leading to the discovery of a second amphetamine laboratory.

 

 

Detective Inspector Jason Pye said: "This type of operation can be extremely lucrative to organised crime groups, and it is pleasing to see their labs and criminal careers dismantled. Amphetamine is a drug which can have catastrophic consequences for users, not to mention the damaging environmental effects and massive risks that these volatile chemicals have on the environment and neighbouring properties. Nobody wants to live close to such a potential death trap.

"This was a complex investigation. The setting up of these illicit labs and manufacturing of such drugs needs specialist knowledge and coordination by sophisticated and organised criminals, who are now removed from the streets.

"NWROCU exists to tackle and take down the most serious, hardened and organised criminals who pose a significant threat to our communities, and these men and women fit the bill.

"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.

“I am happy to see that these criminals will now spend a considerable amount of time behind bars and we have stopped a significant operation which was flooding the streets of the UK with Class A and B controlled drugs.

"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."