Four men have been jailed for their roles in a plot which saw £250 million worth of class A drugs smuggled into the country and stored in a North Wales farm.
As part of the conspiracy, masterminded from Dubai, heroin and cocaine came from South America, through mainland Europe and were brought into the UK on a trailer, the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU) said.
Detective Chief Superintendent Ian Whitehead, head of NWROCU, said: “We believe the conspiracy was ultimately orchestrated by individuals abroad, including as far away as Dubai.”
“We observed the activities of these individuals over a period of time, gathered evidence,” he added.
“We were able to secure the seizure of 700 kilos of class A drugs and we would estimate that over the period of nine similar journeys the group made during that time they were responsible for bringing into the UK between two and three tonnes of class A drugs.”
Paralysed Guy Remington, 48, of Welsh Bicknor, Hertfordshire, drove a specially adapted car pulling a trailer, which had been converted to include a hide so drugs could be stored in it undetected.
Remington, who had a trailer business which he used as a cover, was arrested following his final trip and officers seized 700 kilos of class A drugs.
On Thursday, he was jailed for seven years at Chester Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to import and supply heroin and cocaine at an earlier hearing.
Once in the country, the drugs were taken to a farm near Mold in Flintshire, North Wales.
Hirst, 38, of Pinfold Lane, Alltami, was described by police as a “leading role” in the organised crime group, sourcing and distributing multi-kilo amounts of cocaine on an industrial scale.
He was sentenced to 12 years in jail after admitting conspiracy to supply class A drugs.
From Hirst’s farm, drugs were collected by couriers and taken across the country, detectives said.
Thomas Smith, 43, of Garrowby Drive, Liverpool, was described as a leading member of the crime group and would make regular trips to Hirst’s farm where he would collect huge quantities of class A drugs to take back to Merseyside for onward distribution.
He was jailed for 18 years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin, possession with intent to supply a class A drug and possession of cannabis.
