A MAN from Quinton has been jailed for his role in running one of the largest amphetamine factories ever found in the UK.
The drugs lab in Ullenhall Lane, Henely in Arden was raided on April 27 last year.
It could produce 400 kilos of amphetamine per month, worth £2 million at wholesale and up to £10 million at street level.
The drugs were distributed to dealers in the West Midlands, London and Kent.
Group ringleader John Keet, 41, of Chalfont St Giles in Buckinghamshire, invested profits from a career dealing cocaine, cannabis and amphetamines into building and managing the lab.
He paid for his right-hand man, Keith Davis, 62, also of Chalfont St Giles, to undergo chemistry training to enable him to operate the site.
Andrew Gurney, 51, of Middle Meadow Avenue, Quinton known as ‘The Geek’ due to his specialist electrical installation and plumbing skills, converted what had been a double garage outbuilding into the drugs lab.
Gurney also received the same chemistry training as Davis.
Work started on the building in March 2020, and it began producing drugs in May of that year.
The gang initially bought amphetamine but quickly realised it was more profitable to make it themselves.
When the outbuilding was raided, plumes of noxious fumes billowed out when it was opened by specialist crews from West Midlands Fire Service, who had to wait several hours before searching it due to the hazardous chemicals inside.
The NCA’s investigation formed part of Operation Venetic, the UK law enforcement response to the July 2020 takedown of the EncroChat encrypted communication service.
Davis was jailed for five years and three months and Gurney for six years and three months at Kingston Crown Court on June 10.
Keet is due to be sentenced on August 22.
NCA branch commander Matt McMillan said: “Keith Davis and Andrew Gurney had key roles in running one of the largest drugs laboratories ever found in the UK.
“Under the direction of John Keet, they meticulously planned this criminal enterprise – even undergoing chemistry training to run the laboratory.
“The drugs produced will have fuelled violence, fear and exploitation in communities across the UK.
“Closing down this lab is a great example of multi-agency cooperation to protect the public.”
Davis and Gurney were convicted at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday, June 8, following a 12-day trial.
Keet pleaded guilty to all the charges at the same court on October 29 last year.
Elliott Walker, 49, of Kidbrooke, south London, was an associate of Keet and purchased specialist equipment for the lab.
He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce class B drugs (amphetamine) on September 17 last year and was jailed for six years on December 14.
A fifth defendant, Bartosz Kaminski, aged 37, of Ullenhall Lane, Henley-in-Arden, pleaded guilty to possession of a CS spray but was found not guilty of drugs offences.
He was given a £100 fine for the CS spray offence at Kingston Crown Court on June 10.
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