Two men from Newham have been jailed for twelve years after police found cannabis resin worth more than £6million on the back of a lorry.
Daniel Brazier, 38, of Gadwall Close and Leslie Road resident Peter Tough, 53, were one half of a “sophisticated, organised criminal gang” of four, sentenced last Thursday at Basildon Crown Court to a total of more than 25 years behinds bars after pleading guilty to the supply of cannabis.
Ringleader Danny Sharland, 41, of Brentwood, was given seven-and-a-half years behind bars, while “right hand man” Brazier, Tough and Danny Williams, of no fixed address, were each jailed for six.
Officers investigating a drugs supply ring had stopped a hired flatbed lorry after it left premises at Lodge Farm in Grange Avenue, Mayland, on the morning of January 28, 2015.
Police arrested the driver, Tough, and his passenger, Williams, 41, after a roadside check revealed packages of drugs concealed within the pallets between sheets of windows and glass.
The drugs, which had an estimated weight of 1,324kg and an approximate street value of £6,622,500, were found to be imports from Spain.
“These men were an integral part of a sophisticated organised criminal gang who imported drugs on a large scale,” said Ds Ed Mayo, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate.
“Sharland was the leader of the four, while Brazier was a trusted member of the group who orchestrated Tough and Williams, the physical workers, in moving the consignment.
“These men are now behind bars after a lengthy police investigation, in which a substantial amount of cannabis resin has been taken off the streets.”
Det Chief Supt Steve Worron, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, added: “The convictions of these men and the sentences they have received protect the communities of Essex.
“Drugs importation on this scale can cause considerable harm to communities and frequently results in vulnerable people being exploited.
“These men operated an organisation crime group in the belief they were beyond the law.
“Through a determined and considered investigation, officers and staff from the Serious Crime Directorate have gathered overwhelming evidence that all four men lived pursued a life of crime that had the potential to result in significant wealth being accumulated.
“They will not profit from their criminality and will now be imprisoned for a considerable period of time.
“This should serve as a warning to others who are thinking of committing similar offences.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here