Gang which sold fake drug jailed after boasting of lavish lifestyles > 자유게시판

A gang of shameless thugs who sold fake prescription drugs worth more than £20million on the dark web and bragged of 'living like gangsters' on social media have been jailed. 
Christopher Kirkby, 35, Marc Ward and Thomas Durden, both 36, sold drugs such as Xanax and other benzodiazepines before posing with bottles of champagne inside fancy restaurants and nightclubs.
In one photo shared on his account, Kirkby was seen with a £1,250 bottle of Crystal Rose during a visit to the five-star Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge, west - as they splashed £1,679 on a night out in June 2017.
Ward also shared a photograph himself smoking a cigar with the caption: 'Living like a gangster!' 
But the gang's illegal activities were uncovered following an investigation from Pfizer Global Security, the firm which previously manufactured the drug, and the trio were jailed for more than 20 years at Portsmouth Crown Court.
In one photo shared on his Instagram account, Kirkby was seen alongside Durden with a £1,250 bottle of Crystal Rose during a visit to the five-star Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge
Ward (pictured) shared a photograph himself smoking a cigar with the caption: 'Living like a gangster!' 
The gang members bragged about their lavish lifestyle and posted pictures of their expensive nights out on social media.

Pictured: Kirkby 
When correctly prescribed, Xanax is used to treat anxiety and panic disorders, but it is often abused by those seeking its sedative effects and has been described by police as 'highly dangerous substances' if not prescribed properly.
Although widely used legally in the US, it is available only on prescription in the UK. 
But Ward, under the name 'HulkedBenzoBoss', sold the counterfeit pills via the dark web and left some buyers addicted.
Pfizer Global Security launched a probe in June 2016 after a number of test purchases were made showing Ward was operating behind the Darknet vendor .
The case was subsequently passed to police in early 2017.
While operating as 'HulkedBenzoBoss', Ward was involved in at least 22,843 deals of the fake Xanax tablets and other class C drugs, police say.
An estimated £2,157,700 in Bitcoin was collected by Ward from the Darknet markets and deposited into three main cryptocurrency wallets. 
But he was arrested as he left his home in Havant, Hampshire, blacksprut онион on June 13, 2017.
Ward was detained on suspicion of supplying a controlled drug of class C between June 2016 and June 2017, and of money laundering.
Kirkby poses for a selfie alongside fellow drug gang member Durden during a night out.

The pair have now been jailed
The gang members posted pictures of expensive Dom Perignon, Cristal and Bollinger Champagne
Christopher Kirkby, of Shefford, Bedford, has been jailed for nine years, six months for his role in the drug gang
Durden, of Dartford, Kent, was sentenced to six years and five months in prison for his role in the group
A search of his property revealed an involvement in a wider conspiracy in the production of counterfeit Xanax.
While Ward was in custody, the gang began the process of closing down their 'lab' based in a lock-up in Gravesend, Kent, in order to reinvent themselves on the Darknet as AchlysUK.
Charlton Pascal, 30, joined the conspiracy under the orders of Kirkby and attended the 'lab' to collect items from Durden.
A pill press was moved on June 20, 2017, to Shefford, Bedfordshire, and then transferred to the control of John Turner, 49, in Devon the following month.
Police carried out raids of the properties belonging to Durden, Kirkby and Pascal four months later and each was arrested on suspicion of being involved in the conspiracy.
Cryptocurrency to the value of £1.3m was seized from Durden, before Turner was arrested on suspicion of involvement in the conspiracy February 13, 2019.
Ward, of Portsmouth, was jailed for five years after he admitted conspiring to supply Alprazolam.

He also pleaded guilty to a number of other offences at a previous court hearing including offering to supply class B and class C drugs, acquiring criminal property and converting criminal property.
Marc Ward, 36, of Queens Road, Fratton, Portsmouth, was jailed for five years after he admitted conspiring to supply Class C drug Alprazolam
Money found during a police raid of a property at South Street in Havant, Hampshire
A blue barrel filled with counterfeit drugs was recovered during one of the police operations 
Durden and Kirkby also admitted a further count each of conspiracy to supply Alprazolam and converting criminal property and Pascal a count of acquiring criminal property.
Durden, of Dartford, Kent, was sentenced to six years and five months in prison. He earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Alprazolam and a single count of converting criminal property.
Kirkby, of Shefford, Bedford, was jailed for nine years and six months for the same offences.
Detective Superintendent Neil Cripps, a senior investigating officer at the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU), said: 'This organised crime group worked to set up a "business" to act as a cover, producing and supplying counterfeit Xanax and other class C drugs on a commercial scale with a street value in excess of £20m.
'Their actions subsequently had a devastating impact on those who purchased the drugs for casual use and found themselves addicted to what are highly dangerous substances if not prescribed by a medical professional and used correctly.

As with all illegal drugs, there is always an inherent danger to those who take them.
'The SEROCU worked closely with Pfizer Global Security on this case to ensure those responsible for these serious offences were brought before a court to account for their actions.
'Our five-year investigation has subsequently resulted in significant prison sentences for those whose sole aim was to profit from others' misery.
'If you become aware of the supply of drugs in your community, please contact your local police force on the non-emergency number 101.

We will continue our work disrupting and tackling serious and organised crime across the communities of the south east.'
Pascal and Turner will be sentenced at a hearing at the same court in May.
A proceeds of crime investigation is currently ongoing, where authorities will try and seize some of the cash made by the gang.