Men jailed for drugs plot (From Worcester News)

Men jailed for drugs plot

12:10pm Thursday 21st February 2013 in News

FOUR Malvern men were among a gang of six jailed for a drugs plot which spread across the West Midlands and down to London and South Wales.

Ameeth Mudhar, Richard Lewis, Robert Cornes, and Martin Scully were among a gang headed up by James Impey.

Worcester Crown Court heard that Impey, from Hereford, began planning the conspiracy to supply cannabis and a new drug BZP, which is known as imitation ecstasy, when he was in jail for another offence.

Sentencing the gang Judge Robert Juckes QC said the effects of the new drug BZP were unknown and could be dangerous.

In total nine men had pleaded guilty at an earlier court hearing. Prosecutor Glyn Samuel said the conspiracy was started by Impey because of a massive drug debt and involved drugs worth thousands of pounds.

After the hearing West Mercia Police revealed its six-month investigation had pulled together work by other forces into incidents that occurred across the country as well as in Worcestershire.

When they executed a warrant at Cornes’ home address in Belmont Road, Malvern, officers found a hydraulic press for making pills, 18 grams of cocaine, scales, bags and cash. A further seizure of 425g of cocaine was made at Scully’s home in Cowleigh Road, Malvern, along with substances used for cutting into the cocaine.

Mudhar was convicted for his part in a cannabis cultivation operation that was raided by officers in August 2011 at a farm building in Hillside near Martley, near Worcester, where they found 496 plants.

He was also convicted for offences after he and Lewis were involved in a pursuit with police officers in September 2011. He was driving a Vauxhall Corsa along the A38 when they refused to stop for a police patrol vehicle in Severn Stoke. A pursuit occurred to Kinnersley where the car stopped and Lewis ran off carrying a holdall. When officers caught him he tried to dispose of the bag, which had £14,000 inside. This was seized by West Mercia Police under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

As well as being sentenced for their parts in drug dealing conspiracies, both men were also sentenced for money laundering.

In June 2011, Mahal was stopped in an Audi Q7 in Worcester and a search of the 4x4 uncovered nearly £13,000 in cash. Mahal claimed he did no know where it came from, so this money was also seized.

The nine defendants were arrested at different stages in 2011 and were charged in September 2011 and February 2012. They all pleaded guilty at a succession of hearings in 2012.

THE SENTENCES l Impey, aged 28, of Oaklands, Hereford, was sentenced to seven years and three months for supplying cannabis and BZP.

l Mudhar, 29, of Frazer Close, Malvern, pleaded guilty to supply of BZP and the production of cannabis at a farm near Martley. He was jailed for five years. He also admitted danagerous driving and was disqualified for 12 months.

l Lewis, 22, of Moat Crescent, Malvern, and John Gluyas, 41, Swansea, were each jailed for four years for supplying cannabis and cocaine.

l Cornes, 27, of Belmont Road, was sentenced to two years for supplying cocaine.

l Scully, 39, of Cowleigh Road, Malvern, received an 18-month sentence on a similar charge.

l Three other men were given nine-month jail sentences suspended for 12 months for supplying cannabis and BZP. Colin Beck, 58, Coventry; Tarlochan Mahal, 27, Warley, West Midlands, and Gareth Owen, 44, Swansea, were each ordered to do 180 hours unpaid work.