SCOTTISH CRIME AND DRUG
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY

NEWS RELEASE

10 JANUARY 2012

TRIO JAILED FOR £1.2 MILLION CANNABIS HAUL

On Tuesday 10 January 2012 at the High Court in Glasgow, three men involved in a large scale drug trafficking conspiracy have been jailed for a combined 15 years.

Naeem Asghar (38) of Motherwell was found guilty in November last year of being involved in the supply of class B drugs, and Anthony Kenyon (37) and Phillip Rannard (47), both of Wigan pleaded guilty to the same charges.

The three men were sentenced, as follows,

Naeem Asghar – 6 years

Anthony Kenyon – 4 years 10 months

Phillip Rannard – 4 years 6 months

Their criminal activities were revealed as a result of Operation Chilon, an intelligence-led investigation by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA) into the activities of a major serious organised crime network operating in the west ofScotland.

The investigation identified that Naeem Asghar was a key member of a gang responsible for supplying significant amounts of cannabis, with the support of his associates, Kenyon and Rannard.

In total, the SCDEA seized 242 kilos of cannabis resin worth approximately £1.21 million.

Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Mole, head of investigations, SCDEA said: “These individuals were involved in supplying significant amounts of controlled drugs.  To these people, drugs are simply a commodity to be traded for money and influence.  However, in our communities, drugs bring fear, intimidation and violence.  But drug dealers don’t care about the impact they are having on our communities.

“Today’s sentencing demonstrates that drug dealers are not above the law.  Others dealers should sit up and take note.  We are using all means at our disposal to identify who they are, to put them out of business and ensure they are brought to justice for their crimes.”

Asghar, Kenyon and Rannard were arrested on Friday 24 September 2010 after the SCDEA instigated a surveillance operation, acting on intelligence that Asghar was set to receive a large quantity of controlled drugs.

Officers from the SCDEA observed Asghar leaving his place of work in Newmains in a van and travelling to the premises of Kirimar Haulage and Logistics at Green Elms Industrial Estate in Uddingston, where he met with Kenyon and Rannard, who also arrived in a van.  The three men were seen transferring four boxes into Asghar’s vehicle, and both vehicles then left the premises.

The two vans were subsequently stopped by officers from Strathclyde Police onBurniehill Road, Bellshill.  Within Asghar’s van, the four boxes were recovered and a further nine boxes were found within the vehicle occupied by Kenyon and Rannard.  The boxes were found to contain a total of 242 kilos of cannabis resin with a street value of £1.21 million.

Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Mole added: “As a result of our investigation, we have prevented a significant amount of illegal drugs from reaching our streets and causing untold harm in our communities.  In addition, three drug dealers are serving much-deserved prison terms.

“We will continue to target drug dealers and others involved in serious organised crime, and I would urge the public to support us.  Anyone who may have information on drug dealers in their community should contact their local police office or they can report their suspicions anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”