Four convicted of conspiracy to supply largest seizure of cannabis made by Slough Thames Valley Police
Four men have today (21/12) been found guilty of conspiracy to supply cannabis after a trial lasting more than five weeks.
Phillip James, 45, from Capper Avenue, Gainsborough, was found guilty of conspiracy to import and conspiracy to supply a class C drug. Sanjit Singh Rajput, 39, from Ousley Road, Wraysbury, Majinder Singh Sarai, 26, of St Paul’s Avenue, Slough, and Gary Simonson, 43, of Maypole Avenue, West Drayton, were all found guilty of conspiracy to supply a class C drug.
The result comes after a lengthy and complex surveillance operation by the Organised Crime Group (OCG) and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC).
On 29 November 2006, Simonson and another man (who has been found innocent of any involvement) drove a van from Slough to Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, followed by surveillance officers. They then drove back to Slough to a yard in Lake Avenue.
Police raided the Slough address and found Singh Rajput, Razaq and Singh Sarai with the van. After a search of the van, more than 100 kilograms of cannabis, with a street value of £600,000, was seized after being found in packed into fridges. Simonson was arrested nearby.
After the arrests and continuing investigations, another search was carried out on 4 April 2007 at Normamby Business Park, Scunthorpe, and James was arrested. A further £3 million worth of cannabis was discovered hidden inside disposable barbeques.
The four men all pleaded not guilty to the charges, but a jury at Reading Crown Court found them guilty today. James was sentenced to a total of 11 years, Singh Rajput and Singh Sarai to seven years each and Simonson to six years.
Det Con Simon Osamoh, of the OCG, said: “This was a long and complex investigation which resulted in the removal of over £3.5 million of cannabis from the streets of Thames Valley and the conviction of the men who sought to distribute it.
”The investigation involved a lot of hard work from many different officers and departments and the HMRC and I am very pleased that these men are going to spend a considerable amount of time in prison.”
Thames Valley Police ~ Slough