{"id":24833,"date":"2025-03-27T14:12:19","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T15:12:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=24833"},"modified":"2025-03-27T15:32:56","modified_gmt":"2025-03-27T15:32:56","slug":"fake-4m-xanax-drug-gang-boss-jailed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/?p=24833","title":{"rendered":"Fake \u00a34m Xanax drug gang boss jailed"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-component=\"byline-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<div data-testid=\"byline-new\" class=\"sc-b42e7a8f-0 haItSe\">\n<div class=\"sc-b42e7a8f-1 cjDa-dM\">20 minutes ago<\/p>\n<p><!--$!--><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Share\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-2 sc-48d6da7e-5 sc-48d6da7e-6 oYtVL dRvUPz dXDmtS\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-0 dMpdqo\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-1 eihkAj\">Share<\/span><\/button><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Save\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-2 sc-48d6da7e-5 sc-48d6da7e-6 iQJDhl cCYQUA kItbpD\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-0 dMpdqo\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-1 eihkAj\">Save<\/span><\/button><!--\/$--><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"byline-new-contributors\" class=\"sc-b42e7a8f-12 fcCDwR\">\n<div class=\"sc-b42e7a8f-5 evAEAB\">\n<div><span class=\"sc-b42e7a8f-7 kItaYD\">Ben Godfrey<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>BBC Midlands Today<!-- --><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!--$!--><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Share\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-2 sc-48d6da7e-5 sc-48d6da7e-6 oYtVL dRvUPz dXDmtS\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-0 dMpdqo\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-1 eihkAj\">Share<\/span><\/button><button disabled type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Save\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-2 sc-48d6da7e-5 sc-48d6da7e-6 iQJDhl cCYQUA kItbpD\"><span data-testid=\"button-icon-wrapper\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-0 dMpdqo\"><\/span><span data-testid=\"button-text\" aria-hidden=\"false\" class=\"sc-48d6da7e-1 eihkAj\">Save<\/span><\/button><!--\/$--><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 ejjhCR\">\n<div data-testid=\"hero-image\" class=\"sc-a34861b-1 jxzoZC\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/a7eb5a30-0978-11f0-8c19-810852503a69.jpg.webp\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"West Midlands Police A composite of two mugshots - on the left is a man with short brown hair and a beard. On the right is a woman with long blonde hair.\" class=\"sc-a34861b-0 efFcac\" \/><span class=\"sc-a34861b-2 hesJxn\">West Midlands Police<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">A gang leader who co-ordinated from Thailand a \u00a34m fake Xanax drug-making operation in West Midlands sheds and garages has been jailed for eight years.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">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.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">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.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The fake tablets were shipped across the UK and to America, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">Pitts, who had earlier pleaded guilty to six charges, including conspiracy to supply Class C drugs, was described by Judge John Butterfield as &#8220;the beating heart of this enterprise&#8221;.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">He said the ringleader controlled every part of the drugs operation and was constantly involved in it.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 jFCfG\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-a34861b-1 jxzoZC\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/grey-placeholder.png\" class=\"sc-a34861b-0 cOpVbP hide-when-no-script\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/a2afc660-0b16-11f0-9b12-2d0d67b23402.jpg.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"West Midlands Police An aerial shot looking down into a swimming pool in the outdoor space of a villa  in Thailand. Katie Harlow is stood at the edge of the pool in blue shorts and a red vest.\" class=\"sc-a34861b-0 efFcac\" \/><span class=\"sc-a34861b-2 hesJxn\">West Midlands Police<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">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.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The officers were able to seize his mobile phone, which prosecutors described as a &#8220;goldmine of information&#8221;, showing his involvement at all levels of the operation.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The court had heard the gang made the tablets in houses, sheds and garages in the West Midlands. <!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"sc-518485e5-0 DkKTF\">&#8216;Pills could have fetched \u00a311m&#8217;<!-- --><\/h2>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">It would be wrong, Judge Butterfield said, to dismiss the enterprise as &#8220;a minor cottage industry&#8221; and that it was instead &#8220;large scale, organised and determined&#8221;.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The gang&#8217;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.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<figure>\n<div data-component=\"image-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 jFCfG\">\n<div data-testid=\"image\" class=\"sc-a34861b-1 jxzoZC\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/grey-placeholder.png\" class=\"sc-a34861b-0 cOpVbP hide-when-no-script\" \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/medexperts.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/5d6db6b0-0b17-11f0-88df-cbea984e02db.jpg.webp\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"West Midlands Police A purple surgical gloved hand has one of the pill presses between thumb and forefinger, showing Xanax in reverse on it.\" class=\"sc-a34861b-0 efFcac\" \/><span class=\"sc-a34861b-2 hesJxn\">West Midlands Police<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<div data-component=\"text-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 dlWCEZ\">\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">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.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">While the gang made \u00a34m, the number of tablets they made could have fetched them more than \u00a311m, the court heard.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">The gang also purchased the powders needed to make the tablets and fake Xanax stamps.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">But tests revealed the amount of the active ingredient Alprazalam in the fake tablets varied from none at all to twice the proper amount.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">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.<!-- --><\/p>\n<p class=\"sc-eb7bd5f6-0 fezwLZ\">Judge Butterfield said that while it appeared Pitts had taken some actions in her name, none of them were without her knowledge.<!-- --><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"links-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 jVHuOl\">\n<div class=\"sc-93223220-0 sc-46222299-0 ctbOlq eluqFz\"><span data-testid=\"links-title\" class=\"sc-46222299-2 gdGcRT\">More on this story<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-component=\"links-block\" class=\"sc-18fde0d6-0 jVHuOl\">\n<div class=\"sc-93223220-0 sc-46222299-0 ctbOlq hmFIuq\"><span data-testid=\"links-title\" class=\"sc-46222299-2 gdGcRT\">Related internet links<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>20 minutes ago<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24693,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24833","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=24833"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24833\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24839,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24833\/revisions\/24839"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/24693"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=24833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=24833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medexperts.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=24833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}