Woman, 41, sentenced for role in £1.5m Wyre Forest cannabis growing network
A woman is the third defendant to be punished after £1.5 million of drugs was seized in 'one of West Mercia Police's biggest' busts
A 41-year-old woman who produced cannabis for a £1.5million drugs network has appeared before a crown court judge to be sentenced.
Sian Roper, of St George’s Terrace, Kidderminster, previously pleaded guilty to an offence each of producing cannabis and permitting premises to be used for drug related activities after nine 1kg blocks of cocaine, along with smaller quantities were confiscated, along with a small cannabis production being discovered there on February 18.
On Monday (21) Roper was sentenced to a total of 16 months, suspended for two years at Worcester Crown Court for her crimes.
She was arrested after more than £92,000 in cash, 14.5 kg of class A drugs mainly cocaine, 12.3kg of class B comprising cannabis and ketamine and hundreds of packets of cannabis edibles were seized by West Mercia Police - in what the force described as one of it’s biggest drug busts.
At a previous hearing her co-defendants 48-year-old Benjamin Whitefoot, of Leswell Street, also Kidderminster was jailed for nine years and 54-year-old Stephen Windsor-Price, of Childe Road, Cleobury Mortimer, was jailed for three years relating to the same case.
Following the first sentencing hearing on September 4, West Mercia’s Det Cf Insp Dan Fenn said: “This investigation has shut down a serious and organised criminal enterprise flooding class A and B drugs into the north Worcestershire area, and I want to pay tribute to those officers involved for their hard work.
“However, we are not complacent. West Mercia Police will continue with its efforts to tackle drugs gangs, regardless of what role individuals play in these gangs or assistance they provide, to keep the public safe from their criminality as well as the harmful impact illegal substances such as these have on our communities.”
The investigation called Operation Aloha was led by the force’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) following intelligence work initially surrounding the lead suspect Benjamin Whitefoot and suspected drug dealing from a neighbouring flat in Leswell Street.