Latest news with #Alprazalam
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Yahoo
Fake Xanax pills gang members jailed
Four people have been jailed for their roles in a £4m fake Xanax drug-making operation. A gang of 10 family members and friends produced up to 11 million counterfeit pills in garden sheds and garages in Tipton, Wednesbury and Wolverhampton, selling them as authentic anti-anxiety medication on the so-called dark web. On Friday, Scott Tonkinson, Jordan Pitts, Anthony Pitts and Bladen Roper were jailed at Wolverhampton Crown Court. Five other gang members, including the ringleader, were sentenced on Thursday. Another is due to be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday. Tests revealed the fake tablets contained varying amounts of the active ingredient Alprazalam - from none at all to twice the standard amount. The Crown Prosecution service said the group were not concerned with the dangers of producing the pills and "only saw a money-making opportunity". Tonkinson, of Arundel Road, Willenhall, was jailed for four years and six months after admitting five charges, including conspiracy to supply Class C drugs. Judge John Butterfield said the 36-year-old, whose half-brother Brian Pitts led the operation, was initially involved in making the fake pills, before being told he was not making enough and the job was given to someone else. Anthony Pitts, 41 of Belmont Close, Tipton, another half-brother of the ringleader, had earlier pleaded guilty to three charges including conspiracy to supply Class C drugs and was sentenced to five years and five months. His role was described as packing pills and maintaining the pill-making machines. His mother, Deborah Bellingham, 58, is due to be sentenced on the same charges on Monday. Jordan Pitts, 26, and Bladen Roper, 25, of Hickman Road and Powis Avenue in Tipton, were both previously convicted by a jury of assisting in the operation. Jailing Pitts for three years, Judge Butterfield said he had been involved in packing and posting the fake tablets, and parcels that had been intercepted in the USA were labelled with his name. The judge said Roper, who was involved in ordering the materials needed to make the pills, appeared to be unaware of the operation at first, but evidence suggested he was later "clearly aware" of what was going on. Roper, who had separately pleaded guilty to driving offences including dangerous driving and driving while disqualified, was jailed for three years and three months. On Thursday, the gang's ringleader Brian Pitts, 30, from Wednesbury, was jailed for eight years. Described by the judge as the "overlord" and the "beating heart" of the enterprise, he ran the operation from a luxury villa in Thailand between 2018 and 2019, shipping tablets across the UK and to the USA. He was assisted by his then partner Katie Harlow, 27, from Bilston, who was jailed for two years and one month. Three other gang members - Brian Pitts' father-in-law Lee Lloyd, 48, Kyle Smith, 26, and Mark Bayley, 63 - were given sentences of between four years and seven years and two months. Judge Butterfield described the enterprise as "large scale, organised and determined". The operation was uncovered following an investigation by the maker of Xanax, Pfizer. The gang used cryptocurrency to buy the powder needed to make the pills from China, which were pressed in four legally-obtained pill-making machines. Fake Xanax stamps were used to make the pills appear authentic. Jonathan Kelleher from the Crown Prosecution Service said: "These drugs should only be prescribed by a doctor and anyone buying them on the Dark Web, produced in a back-garden shed, has no clue what they are taking." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Fake £4m Xanax drug gang boss jailed Gang made millions selling fake Xanax pills on dark web Millions of fake Xanax pills made in sheds - trial HM Courts & Tribunals Service
BBC News
28-03-2025
- BBC News
West Midlands fake Xanax gang members jailed
Four people have been jailed for their roles in a £4m fake Xanax drug-making operation.A gang of 10 family members and friends produced up to 11 million counterfeit pills in garden sheds and garages in Tipton, Wednesbury and Wolverhampton, selling them as authentic anti-anxiety medication on the so-called dark Friday, Scott Tonkinson, Jordan Pitts, Anthony Pitts and Bladen Roper were jailed at Wolverhampton Crown other gang members, including the ringleader, were sentenced on Thursday. Another is due to be sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday. Tests revealed the fake tablets contained varying amounts of the active ingredient Alprazalam - from none at all to twice the standard Crown Prosecution service said the group were not concerned with the dangers of producing the pills and "only saw a money-making opportunity". Tonkinson, of Arundel Road, Willenhall, was jailed for four years and six months after admitting five charges, including conspiracy to supply Class C John Butterfield said the 36-year-old, whose half-brother Brian Pitts led the operation, was initially involved in making the fake pills, before being told he was not making enough and the job was given to someone Pitts, 41 of Belmont Close, Tipton, another half-brother of the ringleader, had earlier pleaded guilty to three charges including conspiracy to supply Class C drugs and was sentenced to five years and five role was described as packing pills and maintaining the pill-making mother, Deborah Bellingham, 58, is due to be sentenced on the same charges on Pitts, 26, and Bladen Roper, 25, of Hickman Road and Powis Avenue in Tipton, were both previously convicted by a jury of assisting in the Pitts for three years, Judge Butterfield said he had been involved in packing and posting the fake tablets, and parcels that had been intercepted in the USA were labelled with his name. The judge said Roper, who was involved in ordering the materials needed to make the pills, appeared to be unaware of the operation at first, but evidence suggested he was later "clearly aware" of what was going who had separately pleaded guilty to driving offences including dangerous driving and driving while disqualified, was jailed for three years and three months. On Thursday, the gang's ringleader Brian Pitts, 30, from Wednesbury, was jailed for eight by the judge as the "overlord" and the "beating heart" of the enterprise, he ran the operation from a luxury villa in Thailand between 2018 and 2019, shipping tablets across the UK and to the was assisted by his then partner Katie Harlow, 27, from Bilston, who was jailed for two years and one month. Three other gang members - Brian Pitts' father-in-law Lee Lloyd, 48, Kyle Smith, 26, and Mark Bayley, 63 - were given sentences of between four years and seven years and two Butterfield described the enterprise as "large scale, organised and determined".The operation was uncovered following an investigation by the maker of Xanax, gang used cryptocurrency to buy the powder needed to make the pills from China, which were pressed in four legally-obtained pill-making Xanax stamps were used to make the pills appear Kelleher from the Crown Prosecution Service said: "These drugs should only be prescribed by a doctor and anyone buying them on the Dark Web, produced in a back-garden shed, has no clue what they are taking." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Yahoo
Fake £4m Xanax drug gang boss jailed
A gang leader who co-ordinated from Thailand a £4m fake Xanax drug-making operation in West Midlands sheds and garages has been jailed for eight years. Up to 11 million tablets were made in various locations in Tipton, Wednesbury and Wolverhampton and then sold on the dark web via cryptocurrency payments. The criminal enterprise, between 2018 and 19, was run from a luxury villa in Thailand by Brian Pitts, 30, of Beebee Road, Wednesbury, who is one of 10 being sentenced for their part in the operation. The fake tablets were shipped across the UK and to America, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard. Pitts, who had earlier pleaded guilty to six charges, including conspiracy to supply Class C drugs, was described by Judge John Butterfield as "the beating heart of this enterprise". He said the ringleader controlled every part of the drugs operation and was constantly involved in it. Pitts was arrested by police when he returned to the UK with his then-partner Katie Harlow, who was also part of the Thai-end of the criminal operation. The officers were able to seize his mobile phone, which prosecutors described as a "goldmine of information", showing his involvement at all levels of the operation. The court had heard the gang made the tablets in houses, sheds and garages in the West Midlands. It would be wrong, Judge Butterfield said, to dismiss the enterprise as "a minor cottage industry" and that it was instead "large scale, organised and determined". The gang's activities had initially come to light after an investigation was launched by Pfizer, the manufacturer of the genuine Xanax tablets, which are used to treat anxiety. The inquiry was then picked up by the Regional Organised Crime Unit, which discovered the gang had purchased legally four pill-making machines, enabling them to press more than 16,000 tablets an hour. While the gang made £4m, the number of tablets they made could have fetched them more than £11m, the court heard. The gang also purchased the powders needed to make the tablets and fake Xanax stamps. But tests revealed the amount of the active ingredient Alprazalam in the fake tablets varied from none at all to twice the proper amount. Harlow, 27, of Lane Street, Bilston was sentenced to two years and one month in jail, after she earlier admitted a charge of converting and transferring criminal property. Judge Butterfield said that while it appeared Pitts had taken some actions in her name, none of them were without her knowledge. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Gang made millions selling fake Xanax pills on dark web HM Courts & Tribunals Service
BBC News
27-03-2025
- BBC News
Fake £4m Xanax drug gang boss jailed over West Midlands op
A gang leader who co-ordinated from Thailand a £4m fake Xanax drug-making operation in West Midlands sheds and garages has been jailed for eight to 11 million tablets were made in various locations in Tipton, Wednesbury and Wolverhampton and then sold on the dark web via cryptocurrency criminal enterprise, between 2018 and 19, was run from a luxury villa in Thailand by Brian Pitts, 30, of Beebee Road, Wednesbury, who is one of 10 being sentenced for their part in the fake tablets were shipped across the UK and to America, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard. Pitts, who had earlier pleaded guilty to six charges, including conspiracy to supply Class C drugs, was described by Judge John Butterfield as "the beating heart of this enterprise".He said the ringleader controlled every part of the drugs operation and was constantly involved in it. Pitts was arrested by police when he returned to the UK with his then-partner Katie Harlow, who was also part of the Thai-end of the criminal officers were able to seize his mobile phone, which prosecutors described as a "goldmine of information", showing his involvement at all levels of the court had heard the gang made the tablets in houses, sheds and garages in the West Midlands. 'Pills could have fetched £11m' It would be wrong, Judge Butterfield said, to dismiss the enterprise as "a minor cottage industry" and that it was instead "large scale, organised and determined".The gang's activities had initially come to light after an investigation was launched by Pfizer, the manufacturer of the genuine Xanax tablets, which are used to treat anxiety. The inquiry was then picked up by the Regional Organised Crime Unit, which discovered the gang had purchased legally four pill-making machines, enabling them to press more than 16,000 tablets an the gang made £4m, the number of tablets they made could have fetched them more than £11m, the court gang also purchased the powders needed to make the tablets and fake Xanax tests revealed the amount of the active ingredient Alprazalam in the fake tablets varied from none at all to twice the proper 27, of Lane Street, Bilston was sentenced to two years and one month in jail, after she earlier admitted a charge of converting and transferring criminal Butterfield said that while it appeared Pitts had taken some actions in her name, none of them were without her knowledge. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
