Routine police work led to cannabis farm

Jun 19 2009 by Garry Willey, The Journal

A CHANCE traffic stop helped Northumbria Police smash a cocaine ring and uncover their biggest-ever cannabis farm, capable of bringing a drug gang millions of pounds in profit, a court heard.

Officers pulled over a silver Ford Focus at West Rainton, near Durham, when checks showed it had not registered insurance.

But packed inside the spare wheel compartment they found a kilo of “importation grade” cocaine worth £100,000 on the streets, Newcastle Crown Court heard. And as the investigation gathered pace, police finally discovered a huge cannabis farm – the largest found in the Northumbria Force area – at a unit on the Pearson Industrial Estate in Hetton.

More than a thousand plants were growing in various stages in the sophisticated and expensively built set up, the court heard.

“You are going to hear not just about a sizeable cocaine seizure but a purpose built and designed cannabis farm filled to the gunnells with cannabis in various stages of development,” said Caroline Goodwin, prosecuting.

“When we look at this case in the whole, when you look at the size and sophistication, this demonstrates a carefully planned operation.

“But for the odd flaw, this could have gone completely undetected, allowing this group to profit by upwards of millions of pounds.”

Derrick Woods, 30, of Tynedale Street, Moorsley, Houghton-le-Spring, and Nicholas Stansfield, 42, of Hebdon Bridge, West Yorkshire, both deny conspiracy to supply cocaine and produce cannabis.

Another man, Victor Spencer, has already admitted both charges. Christopher Stansfield – described as his brother Nicholas’ “eyes and ears” from a mobile home close to the farm – has admitted conspiracy to produce cannabis.

“This case is about the distribution and production of drugs,” Miss Goodwin said. “Wholesale distribution involves a number of individuals and each of them has a role.

“This case is an illustration not of street dealing but of wholesale supply, wholesale delivery, and ultimately exchange. The potential profits are vast.”

Officers stopped the Ford Focus on August 30 2007 as it was driven from Hebdon Bridge where the cocaine – 77% pure and ready to be cut – had been collected, Miss Goodwin said.

A lock-up unit on the Pearson estate was then raided in February 2008 where a 50-ton industrial metal press bearing traces of cocaine and cutting agents was recovered.

And days later, after £10,000 worth of receipts had been examined, the huge farm was found in a second nearby unit, the court heard. “The receipts recovered, some from B & Q, effectively indicated somebody was kitting out some form of greenhouse,” Miss Goodwin said.

“The Crown say this cannabis farm demonstrated a sophisticated and elaborate set-up. This was the largest single cannabis factory discovered by Northumbria Police.”

A mass of equipment had been set up to nurture the plants and there was even an extensive ducting system built into the roof to carry away the tell-tale “stench” of the growing cannabis, Miss Goodwin said.

The jury was told it would hear cell-site analysis used to track mobile phones as well as evidence found in the cocaine-filled car allegedly connecting members of the drug gang.

The trial continues.