Members of an organised crime group who produced cannabis on an industrial scale and ‘taxed’ at least 20 other cannabis grows from rival gangs, tying up and threatening the people looking after the farms, have been jailed for a combined total of more than 95 years.

A total of 31 men were sentenced at Preston Crown Court this week for their part in the conspiracies which saw in excess of 200kg of cannabis produced and sold on the streets of East Lancashire, with 18 of them have receiving lengthy jail terms.

The operation, which spanned a 14-month period between 2020 and the beginning of 2022 included 20 instances of drug burglaries - known as taxing - in which multiple kilograms of cannabis were stolen from properties across Burnley, Padiham and Colne, as well as the production of cannabis inside at least three addresses worth more than £150,000.

Several of the defendants were in charge of growing the cannabis within the properties, with others responsible for stealing grows from other gangs; one such ‘taxing’ incident resulted in gun shots being fired in Salus Street, Burnley, in February 2021.

Other defendants were involved in the dealing of the drugs on the streets of East Lancashire, while two of the gang members laundered more than £50,000 in cash as part of the conspiracy.

The gang, from Burnley, Colne, Padiham, Nelson, Trawden and Briercliffe, was taken down in 2022 by police, under the umbrella of Operation Alberta.

Lancashire Telegraph: Heaton, Pearce, Ansar and BlazonisHeaton, Pearce, Ansar and Blazonis (Image: Lancs Police)

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Jefferies KC said the estimated 200kg of cannabis was a “gross under-valuation” of the amount of drugs which had actually passed through the hands of the gang members, and told the court much more would have been produced and sold over that 14-month period.

He said: “The conspiracies involved setting up cannabis farms in domestic homes, growing and producing, equipment purchased and installed, and gardeners employed.

“The large quantities produced in those farms were sold on to users and wholesale.

“Alongside this the organised crime group sought out, by using heat guns, farms which were being grown by another organised crime group, particularly an Albanian gang.

“They stole those plants from the other group and threatened gardeners of that group.

“One of the sad factors of this case is the cavalier and indifferent attitude of some of the group to the growing and supply of cannabis.

“There seems to be a problem in this country with the production of cannabis, and cannabis use itself.

“Walking through the streets of Preston as I do sometimes, you cannot avoid the smell of cannabis, it’s normalised.

“Those who use it choose not to see and do not see what lies beyond its production; county lines, the fracturing and destruction of communities, the use of weapons and violence.

"It causes misery, gang rivalry and communities are ripped apart.

“In this case, three defendants were seriously injured and in a pre-sentence report one of the defendants described what was taking place as a ‘war’.

“I am confident the amount of cannabis produced and sold over the 14 months was well in excess of the 200kg estimated by the police.

“All defendants must appreciate when they join a conspiracy they become responsible for the actions of all those involved in that conspiracy, and this was an operation capable of producing industrial amounts of cannabis for use.”

The 31 men sentenced are as follows:

  • Faizan Khan, 24, of Colne Road Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary, conspiracy to produce cannabis and conspiracy to supply cannabis. He was jailed for six years and nine months.
  • Robert Ganley, 29, of Hargher Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary, conspiracy to produce cannabis and conspiracy to supply cannabis, as well as acquiring criminal property. He was jailed for seven years and six months.
  • Joshua Watson, 31, of Parkinson Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary, conspiracy to produce cannabis and conspiracy to supply cannabis. He was jailed for eight years.
  • Michael Kent, 22, of Ravens Grove, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary, conspiracy to produce cannabis and conspiracy to supply cannabis, as well as handling stolen goods. He was jailed for four years and nine months.
  • Connor Sears, 23, of Elm Street, Colne, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis and conspiracy to supply cannabis. He was jailed for six years.
  • Jonathon Royal, 30, of Cameron Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis and conspiracy to supply cannabis as well as possession of a Taser. He was jailed for four years and three months.
  • Daniel Leach, 30, of Castle Hill Street, Queensferry, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary, conspiracy to supply cannabis and possession of an imitation firearm. He was jailed for four years and 10 months.
  • Kyle Snaith, 28, of Windermere Avenue, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary, conspiracy to produce cannabis and conspiracy to supply cannabis. He was jailed for five years and seven months.
  • Jamie Spencer, 34, of Blacker Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis. He received an 18-month community order.
  • Steven Howe, 54, of Burnley Road, Burnley, pleaded guilty to money laundering. He received a 12-month community order.
  • Sean Mortimer, 43, of Windermere Avenue, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis and conspiracy to supply cannabis. He was jailed for three years and six months.
  • Jordan Pritchard, 30, of Ingham Street, Padiham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis as well as possession with intent to supply cannabis. He was handed two years in prison suspended for two years.
  • Michael Brennan, 33, of Lancaster Drive, Padiham, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to supply cannabis. He was jailed for four years and seven months.
  • Aaron Pierce, 37, of Wycollar Avenue, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis. He was jailed for three years.
  • Adeel Hussain, 25, Nicholl Street, Burnley, was convicted after trial of conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to supply cannabis. He received a 12-month community order.
  • Nauman Ali, 23, of Roberts Street, Nelson, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis. He received a 12-month community order.
  • Eldon Ashworth, 46, of Burnley Road, Briercliffe, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis. He received an 18-month community order.
  • Stewart Burn, 56, of Towneley Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis. He received a 12-month community order.
  • Gareth Conway, 43, of Reed Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis. He received a two year prison sentence suspended for two years an 15 rehabilitation activity days.
  • Luke Craig, 34, of Griffin Close, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary. He was handed 22 months in prison suspended for 18 months.
  • Liam Heaton, 28, of St Matthew’s Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to supply cannabis. He was jailed for five years and 11 months.
  • Samuel Watson, 41, of Union Street, Brierfield, was convicted after trial of conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to supply cannabis. He was handed 18 months in prison suspended for 12 months.
  • Martin Crawford, 31, of Heather Bank, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary. He was jailed for nine months.
  • Zakir Khan, 29, of Broad Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis. He received an 18-month community order.
  • Rennie Rossiter, 24, of Holme Crescent, Trawden, Colne, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis. He received a 12-month community order.
  • Callum Duffy, 27, no fixed address, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to supply cannabis as well as other offences of supply of class A drugs and criminal damage in a domestic setting. He was jailed for nine years three months.
  • Stephen Forsyth, 44, of Parkinson Street, Burnley, was convicted after trial of conspiracy to produce cannabis and money laundering. He was jailed for four years.
  • David Vallender, 61, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis and conspiracy to supply cannabis. He was jailed for four years and three months.
  • Karlis Pinksis, 28, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to produce cannabis. He was jailed for four years and one month.
  • Jamie Mason, 24, of Leyland Road, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis. He received a 12-month community order.
  • Orfe Spahaj, 27, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce cannabis and driving while disqualified. He was jailed for three years and four months and will be deported from the country.

A 32nd person, Oliver Spencer, 25, of Humber Square, Burnley, was handed a 12 month community order for an unrelated matter also involving Jamie Spencer.

Two other men had already been sentenced for their part in the conspiracy.

They were:

  • Robertas Blazonis, 33 - jailed for three years for cannabis supply.
  • Shahid Ansar, 32 - jailed for two years for cannabis supply.

A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing in respect of Vallender, Jamie Watson, Faizan Khan, Duffy, Ganley, Howe and Forsyth, will take place next year.