Darwen drugs gang leaders sentenced to more than 20 years

Ex-Royal Marine, Sam Stone, alongside his partner in crime, Zac Deaffern, was involved in the supply and production of more than 200kg of amphetamine and 400kg of cannabis, with the pair using accomplices John Rowe, Phillip Alderson, Dexter Ryan and Joshua Main to help import the cannabis into the UK from Italy and other areas of Europe.

Sam Stone (Image: Lancs Police)

The operation, which resulted in 23 people being charged in June 2021, was conducted from Hollins Grove Mill in Darwen, with the gang members being foiled after police cracked the encrochat network they were using, and border force officials intercepted around 100kg of cannabis bound for the UK from Italy.

Other parcels of the class B drug were stopped in Coventry, East Midlands and Manchester Airport.

Joshua Main (Image: Lancs Police)

A consignment of 80kg of cannabis bound for Darwen was seized by border control in Dover in March 2021, 10kg was found in the mill in Darwen, while another package was intercepted at East Midlands Airport, with a total of 400kg of cannabis seized across the entire police operation.

Some of the cannabis, if sold at wholesale price would have been worth around £1.7 million.

Zac Deaffern (Image: Lancs Police)

The six men appeared at Preston Crown Court on Thursday (February 16), with Stone, Rowe, Main, Alderson and Ryan being sentenced to a combined total of 24 and a half years.

The final defendant, Zac Deaffern was sentenced this morning (Friday February 17) to 12 years, taking the total sentence for all six men to 36 and a half years.

The court heard how between January 2020 and March 2021 Stone, Deaffern, Alderson, Rowe, Main and Ryan were caught on CCTV at the mill on several occasions, loading bags in and out of trucks.

Dexter Ryan (Image: Lancs Police)

Messages found on their phones also alluded to the supply of drugs, as police investigated the crime racket under the guise of Operations Angler and Wimbledon.

In March 2021 Deaffern’s home in Turncroft Road, Darwen, was searched and police found £4,000 cash, mobile phones, notebooks detailing massive sums of money and prices amphetamine, and a gun, with tests proving this was a viable firearm.

Within the notebooks were details which led police to an address in Ivinson Road, Darwen. In May 2020 German authorities had intercepted a package containing 6 kilos bound for that address.

A further notebook linked Deaffern to the unit in Hollins Grove Mill.

At the same time Deaffern’s property was being searched, a warrant was executed at the home of Stone in Hawshaw Heights, Darwen.

Recovered from his bedroom was a safe that contained £15,000 in cash, cocaine, bags and scales. Police also found a further mobile phone and CS Gas and recovered cannabis from his van.

Phillip Alderson (Image: Lancs Police)

Cutting agents were also found at the Darwen mill, including caffeine tablets and methanol which were used in the production of amphetamine.

Addressing Deaffern, Judge Guy Mathieson said: “You were vital to that drugs operation, running it alongside Mr Stone. You were both determined to make it as profitable as possible and you had your fingers in every pie.

John Rowe (Image: Lancs Police)

“You were directly involved in the supply and production of amphetamine and the importation and supply of cannabis.

“You played a leading role in your end of this conspiracy.”

Deaffern, 32, of Turncroft Road, Darwen, has nine convictions for 28 offences. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply amphetamine and cannabis and conspiring to import cannabis. He was jailed for 12 years.

Stone, 60, of Lees Court, Darwen, has three convictions for eight offences. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply amphetamine and cannabis, as well as conspiring to import cannabis and possession of a prohibited weapon. He was jailed for nine and a half years.

Ryan, 60, of Avon Close, Blackburn, has 13 convictions for 22 offences. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to import and supply cannabis on the basis that he persuaded himself that the cannabis he was importing was legal. He was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

Alderson, 36, of Bolton Road, Darwen, has five convictions for eight offences. He pleaded to conspiring to supply amphetamine and cannabis. He was sentenced to three years.

Main, 27, of Ivinson Road, Darwen, has four convictions for five offences. He delivered 2kg of cocaine to London and pleaded to conspiring to supply cocaine and cannabis. He received four and a half years in prison.

Rowe, 55, of Lynthorpe Road, Blackburn, has six convictions for eight offences. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cannabis and conspiring to import cannabis. He was jailed for three years and nine months.

Several other members of the gang have yet to be dealt with.

In July last year, Nicholas Wilson, 40, of Wood Street, St Annes, and Phillip Peters, 41, of Edward Tyler Road, London, and Lee Booth of Holcombe Road, Greenmount, were sentenced for their involvement in the conspiracy. 

Others convicted include:

• Pajtim Shehu, 41, of no fixed address, is charged with producing cannabis. Jailed for 16 months.
• James Moran, 33, of Holden Fold, Darwen, is charged with conspiring to supply cannabis. Jailed for 16 months.
• Andrew Berry, 30, of Hadrian’s Camp, Carlisle, is charged with supplying cannabis. Jailed for two years.
• Sean Bradshaw, 55, of Leven Grove, Darwen, is charged with conspiring to supply amphetamine and received 12 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months.
• Richard Panter, 35, of Longsight Road, Ramsbottom, is charged with permitting the production of cannabis and received 9 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months.
• Daniel Pimley, 35, of Andrew Close, Blackburn is charged with conspiring to import cannabis and received a community order.

The following defendants will be sentenced on April 13:

• Joanne Smith, 49, of Elswick Street, Darwen is charged with conspiring to supply cannabis is to be sentenced on 22nd February 2023.
• Jake McCosh, 25, of Pitville Street, Darwen, is charged with conspiring to supply cocaine.
• Anthony Richardson, 38, of Mackenzie Street, Bolton, is charged with conspiring to supply amphetamine.
• John Cropper, 45, of Roseway Avenue, Cadishead, is charged with conspiring to supply amphetamine.
• Taylor Walker, 29, of Staining Road, Blackpool is charged with conspiring to supply cannabis.
• Nicholas Mullin, 33, of no fixed abode, is charged with conspiring to supply amphetamine and cannabis.
• Ashley Morris,31, of Waters Edge, Middleton, is charged with conspiring to supply amphetamine.

DS Stu Peall, from East Division, said: “This was a complex investigation into a serious criminal gang who imported drugs on a massive scale to cut at their Darwen headquarters and then sell on elsewhere for huge profits. Such was the scale and of the operation, they did not seem overly concerned when shipments were confiscated. They simply ordered more.

“Even though there was a clear structure to the organisation – with each member playing their own key role, all were prepared to get their hands dirty. That was demonstrated by the heads of the OCG, Deaffern and Stone, putting on forensic suits and then spending hours on end preparing and cutting drugs.

“I hope the dismantling of this organisation and the sentences handed down by the Judge so far sends out a clear message to those who seek to commit crime in East Lancashire. No matter how sophisticated and protected you think your criminal enterprise is, we will find it, we will dismantle it and we will put you before the courts.”