Members from Darwen, Nelson and Great Harwood have been sentenced

The defendants, from East Lancashire and Greater Manchester, appeared at Preston Crown Court on Friday after pleading guilty to producing cannabis and possessing and transferring criminal property.

The offences relate to a wider cannabis operation which spanned more than two years and involved the alleged heads of two organised crime groups (OCGs), called Mr Machie and Mr McIntosh.

The court was told how police intercepted mobile phone messages being used by members of the group via EncroChat and found activity dating back to 2019, where products used for the production of cannabis were being bought and sold.

Further enquiries led police to uncover a number of small cannabis farms and a larger grow at addresses across East Lancashire and Greater Manchester, including one in Sough Road, Darwen, one in Glebe Street, Great Harwood, and another in Every Street, Nelson.

They also stopped one of the defendants, Sam Williams, 28, of Hollins Mews, Unsworth, Bury, and found he had £8,510 in cash on him, which he was transferring as payment between Machie and another OCG.

Officers later uncovered 216 plants at a farm worth between £750,000 and £1,000,100.

In May 2021, the home address of defendant Artur Burghardt, 33, in Every Street, Nelson, was searched and police uncovered two upstairs rooms filled with 86 plants, with a total yield of around 1.4kg of cannabis, equating to around £14,400 at street value.

There was also a separate batch of cannabis recovered worth £3,360.

The house of Vincent Nicholas, 67, in Glebe Street was searched in July 2021 and police discovered 10 plants with a yield of around 400g, which at street level would’ve sold for £4,000. A further 17.4g of cannabis was found worth around £130.

Then in September 2021, 63-year-old William Corley’s address in Sough Road, Darwen, was searched and 20 plants were found, yielding around 800g with an estimated street level value of £8,000. A further 663.8g of cannabis was found worth £3,315 and a bag of cannabis cut offs.

Later, 32-year-old Jordon Proctor’s address at House O’th’Hill Farm in Whitworth was searched and here 30 plants were discovered, weighing around 1.2kg and worth £12,000 at street level.

All five men were arrested and a sixth defendant, Sadia Hussein, 43, was apprehended in relation to supplying burner phones to some of the offenders as well as being the person responsible for the £8,510 in cash which was found on Williams.

Judge Heather Lloyd said: “You are all to be sentenced for being involved in criminality relating to the production or supply of cannabis.

“Mr Machie is awaiting sentence and others are awaiting trial.

“I heard a trial last summer and your names came up during that trial.

"Several of you were due to be tried in that trial and I can tell you all, you are each extremely lucky the pleas you entered were accepted.”

Jordan Proctor pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis and was sentenced in his absence to 20 weeks in prison.

Vincent Nicholas pleaded guilty to producing cannabis and was sentenced to a 12 month community order and 18 rehabilitation activity days.

Artur Burghardt pleaded guilty to producing cannabis and was handed a 19 week sentence suspended for 12 months and told to complete 20 rehabilitation days.

William Corley pleaded guilty to producing cannabis and was handed a 12 month community order and 20 rehabilitation activity days.

Sadia Hussein, of Newfield Head Farm, Newfield Head Lane, Milnrow, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to transferring criminal property and was given 28 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months and told to complete 20 rehabilitation days.

And Sam Williams, of Hollins Mews, Unsworth, pleaded guilty to possession of criminal property and was given a 12 month community order and 18 days of unpaid work.

Others alleged to be involved in the conspiracy are due to stand trial in June, with Machie also due to be sentenced for his role in the OCG.

A proceeds of crime act hearing will take place at a later date.