Police smash multi-million pound drugs empire in Scunthorpe

Members of a multi-million pound drugs gang in Scunthorpe are facing sentencing after a four year police investigation.

The group used two industrial units on Winterton Road to create the synthetic Etizolam, making an estimated street value of six million pounds.

Members appeared at Hull Crown Court on Monday 3 June after being charged for their involvement. Five pleaded guilty at this appearance, with the sixth being found guilty on Monday 24 June.

Etizolam is a class C controlled drug and is described as a synthetic which is designed to imitate the effects of other Benzodiazepines such as Nitrazepam or Diazepam, however, is believed to be ten times stronger and has been responsible for an increase in deaths in Scotland.

Following initial enquiries into the gangs’ activities, police's attention was drawn to two industrial units on Winterton Road in Scunthorpe.

Officers quickly established how the group operated and how they arranged for class C drugs to be produced and distributed within communities.

Detective Sergeant Chris Grocock from our Serious and Organised Crime Unit said: “From Wednesday 9 October 2019, CCTV enquiries showed the groups movements at one of the units on Winterton Road. Jack Ford, Abigail Comerford, Anthony Florides and Luke Jones were all present at the unit throughout the day and were seen carrying large sacks from Florides’ vehicle into the premise. It was then identified that the unit was being used to manufacture Etizolam tablets.

“The following day, Thursday 10 October, officers monitored the groups activity, and spotted McCallum driving a van along the A1 where he was stopped by officers from West Yorkshire Police. Upon searching the van, officers discovered 14 large white sacks which contained yellow and white tablets. The sacks were seized by officers and McCallum was subsequently arrested at the scene.

“As a result of extensive forensic analysis of the seizures, the sacks were found to contain approximately 1,487,193 of tablets worth an estimated £743,000. These were forensically tested and found to contain Etizolam, a class C controlled drug.”

Members of the crime group

• Anthony Florides, 33-years-old, of Morley Road, Scunthorpe was charged with conspiracy to produce a class C drug and conspiracy to supply a class C drug. He entered a not guilty plea and following a three-week trial, a jury found him guilty of the offences.

• Jack Ford, 34-years-old, of Fairfield Road, Scunthorpe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce a class C drug and conspiracy to supply a class C drug.

• Abigail Comerford, 34-years-old, of Peacock Street, Scunthorpe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce a class C drug and conspiracy to supply a class C drug.

• James Raithby, 29-years-old, of Ashby Road, Scunthorpe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce a class C drug and conspiracy to supply a class C drug.

• John McCallum, 38-years-old, of Glen Bervie, East Kilbride, Glasgow pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply a class C drug.

• Luke Jones, 31-years-old, of Somerset Walk, Milton Keynes, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce a class C drug.

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