Members of Merseyside’s biggest ever cannabis ring jailed
MEMBERS of Merseyside’s biggest ever skunk cannabis ring were jailed for a total of almost 30 years.
The gang converted 33 ordinary looking homes into cannabis factories, Liverpool crown court heard yesterday.
The gang, made up of mainly illegal Chinese immigrants, was busted by police from Merseyside’s Matrix team last September after a massive covert operation.
They found elaborate set ups in houses from Hoylake to Formby and as far out as Warrington and Chester.
Judge David Harris said: “It involved the production on a huge scale of skunk grown in sophisticated and highly efficient artificial conditions designed to ensure maximum value and optimum potency.
“The conspiracy was implemented through the leasing of apparently innocent homes without the owner or letting agent’s knowledge.
“A total of 33 domestic properties were developed into drug factories.”
He said no other judge ever had to pass sentence over an operation of this scope and ambition and that the conspiracy produced more than 10,500 skunk cannabis plants with a total street value of £21.5m.
The gang’s chief organiser Yan Yan Li, 29, from Hulme, recruited, paid rents, hired cars and maintained properties, the judge said.
He said she was either at or near the top of the organisation and gave her a six year and eight month sentence, reduced from 10 years, for an early guilty plea.
Da Yong Jin, 42, of Knight Street, Liverpool city centre, was described as an important manager and his fingerprints were found in 10 houses across the city.
He was on bail when he was caught.
Judge Harris jailed him for five years and seven months
Yu Wu, 49, also of Knight Street, was Jin’s lieutenant helping set up and maintain the houses. He was sentenced to four years two months following a guilty plea.
Gang Liu, 31, of Marina Road, Formby, and Gang Chan, 34, of nearby Liverpool Road, were hired hands who were paid as gardeners. They were both jailed for two years.
Chin Fok Yee, 25, of Princes Road, Toxteth, and Wai Dai, 31, of Waterford Apartments, Liverpool city centre, were drivers and supports and Judge Harris said they were on the same level as the gardeners.
They were given three years after being found guilty.
Sun Ping Ng, 42, of Swinton, got into drugs when his food business failed. He was jailed for 22 months.
Cheung Chan, 31, of Sheffield, a courier, was caught with 4.8kg of cannabis in a rucksack. He received a 14 month sentence after pleading guilty.
All except Ng, who is a British citizen, will face deportation when their sentence ends.
Nicole Parker, 20, of Kensington, helped supply rental properties to the gang but yesterday the judge allowed her to walk free after hearing of her exceptional personal circumstances.
Her year-long jail term was suspended for two years.
Judge Harris added 200 hours of unpaid community service and electronic tags to monitor a curfew between 7pm and 7am.
Senior investigating office Det Insp Earle Garner and his team were praised by the judge for tackling an “extremely complex case that required detailed care”.
Det Insp Garner said: “I’m immensely proud of the hard work and dedication the team showed throughout the investigation.”
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