Drugs gang trio made £59 MILLION

Baan Klootwijk, 49, a Dutch national, and David North, 50, a former soldier, had led the gang based at the premises of Baan Flower Trading in Market Drayton.

Drug dealer Mark Ballinger, 33, from Hampshire, is also said to have shared in the multi-million profits from the large scale enterprise.

The trio are the subject of a Proceeds of Crime Act investigation by West Mercia police and at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday the case was adjourned until May for a two-day confiscation hearing.

Mr Nicholas Smith, prosecuting, said further financial inquiries into the defendants' available funds were required and there would be issues relating to potential hidden assets.

In June last year Klootwijk, of London Road, Nantwich, who had sourced the drugs through contacts in Holland, was jailed for eight years.

North, of Blore Road, Hales, near Market Drayton, was given seven years. Both men had pleaded guilty to conspiring to smuggle drugs into the UK and being involved in the supply of cannabis between November, 2011 and February, 2013.

Ballinger, of Farnborough in Hampshire, who also admitted being involved in the conspiracy, was jailed for 40 months.

At court yesterday Judge Michael Chambers QC made confiscation orders against four other members of the gang said together to have benefited by more than £40,000 from their criminal conduct.

Ashleigh Watkin, 38, of Rowney Close, Loggerheads, described as David North's 'trusted lieutenant', who was jailed for four years, was said have had benefited by £6,200.

His available assets were said to be just £520 and has a month to pay or face 14 days in prison in default.

David Thompson, 42, a driver, of Laburnam Avenue, Cannock, who was jailed for five years, had a £8,750 benefit and assets of £1,380 - monies recovered by police - which he must hand over or face a further 20 days in jail.

Stuart Grant, 42, also a driver, of Deansfield Road, Bearwood, who was jailed for five years, had a benefit of £18,750 and assets of £2,250 - money from the sale of an Audi Estate car - which he must pay or face 40 days in prison.

Jamie Grant, 26, of Sovereign Lane, Ashley, near Market Drayton, who was jailed for 32 months, was said have benefited by £10,000 and has to hand over just £240 in cash recovered by police or face 7 days in jail.

The case of 71-year-old Barrie North, of Audlem Road, Woore, near Loggerheads, who was jailed for two years, was adjourned.

His benefit was said to be £7,000 and is expected to be settled at a later date through monies from an investment company refund.

The case of David Berry, 42, of Manchester, was adjourned pending further financial inquires and the Proceeds of Crime inquiry against Craig Little, 31, also of Manchester, was discontinued.

Baan Flower Trading on the Adderley Road Industrial Estate in Market Drayton, was a front for the sophisticated and professional operation importing and distributing "truly colossal amounts of cannabis" under the guise of a flower business.

Dozens of cardboard boxes containing hundreds of kilos of cannabis were ferried by lorry from Holland hidden among cartons of fresh flowers.

Cannabis was distributed to dealers across the country, including Manchester, London, Liverpool and the south of England and had a potential street value estimated at £200 million.

The drugs plot and was uncovered by a West Mercia police inquiry, codenamed Operation Omaha, involving extensive covert audio and video surveillance.