Breaking Bad: Who was Michael Williamson, the terminally ill grandpa behind a £52 million cocaine empire?
Breaking Bad
,
Michael Williamson
, a 77-year-old terminally ill British newsagent, has been revealed as the mastermind behind a massive £52 million cocaine operation that spanned more than 10 years.
According to
Daily Mail
, Williamson led a quiet, seemingly uneventful life running a newsagent shop in Poynton, Cheshire. But behind that façade, he was orchestrating the distribution of over half a tonne of Class A drugs across the UK. His double life was exposed in 2019 when police raided his Salford home and shop, uncovering £137,000 worth of cocaine, £33,000 in cash, and meticulous records of drug deals and debts.
Despite having no prior criminal record and living a solitary life, Williamson was charged with conspiracy to supply drugs and convicted at Bolton Crown Court in January. However, due to his
terminal illness
, he was never sentenced. He died earlier this month.
Judge Clarke, speaking in court after his death, said Williamson was at the "very heart" of the
drug conspiracy
. His case has drawn widespread comparisons to Walter White, the fictional high school chemistry teacher-turned-drug kingpin from the hit TV series
Breaking Bad
.
One source told
The Sun
, 'He looked like your average corner shop owner, but behind the counter, he was dealing something far stronger than sweets.'
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The investigation also led to the conviction of three others, including 33-year-old former rugby league player Payden Candland, who received a sentence of 19 years and nine months in prison.
Williamson's story serves as a chilling real-life reminder of how appearances can be deceiving—and how far someone can go when pushed to the edge.
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