Legal Highs | Drugs Trial Begins | ‘Operation Alarm’
Kangs Solicitors are instructed by one of the main defendants in a trial that commenced this week at Northampton Crown Court.
The trial is estimated to last 6-8 weeks.
The defendant is charged, along with 6 others. He faces offences relating to the production, possession and supply of drugs.
Due to the size and complexity of the case, we have instructed two barristers and an expert chemist to assist in the preparation and presentation of the defence case.
The case is being conducted by Hamraj Kang and Frances Murray of Kangs Solicitors.
The Prosecution Case | Street Value £100 million | Importation of Cutting Agents
The Prosecution case is that large amounts of cutting agents, bought either in the UK or imported from China in breach of EU licensing regulations, were used as cutting agents for Class A drugs.
The cutting agents included benzocaine, mannitol, lidocaine, boric acid flakes, lactose, xylocaine, caffeine, paracetemol and phenacetin.
The Prosecution’s case is that the substances imported were mislabeled to prevent detection adding a tier of sophistication to the operation.
In excess of 2,500 kilos of benzocaine alone was obtained and this quantity, when used as cutting agent, could produce drugs with a street value of £100 million.
The Prosecution case relies heavily on complex telecommunication, computer, documentary and scientific evidence.
The Defence Case | Legal Highs | Kangs Solicitors
The defence case is that the defendant was in the legal highs business and not engaged in any unlawful activity.
This requires the interrogation of the chemical constitutions of the various drugs and the production processes associated with each of the drugs through expert evidence.
We have instructed an expert chemist in this field to assist the defence case.
The case pre-dates the implementation of the recent legislation on the 26th May 2016 abolishing all legal highs.
- Legal Highs Legislation to come into force on 26th May 2016
- Legal Highs | The Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 – A step too far?
Track Record of Defending Drugs Cases | Kangs Solicitors
We have a proven track record of successfully defending drugs trials over the last two decades including:
- Importation cases
- National and International drugs conspiracy cases
- Possession with intent to supply cases
- Cultivation cases
- Manufacturing of controlled drugs cases
- Money laundering associated with drugs offences
- Cases involving cell site analysis, ANPR evidence, covert surveillance, covert audio recordings including probe evidence
We have defended cases against all the major prosecuting authorities and continue to advise clients nationwide in relation to such cases.
A sample of recent work undertaken by our department in this field can be found by following the below links:
- Drugs Importation | Success at Worcester Crown Court
- Drugs case success at Stafford Crown Court
- Large Conspiracy to supply Drugs | Success at Bristol Crown Court
Contact Us | Kangs Solicitors
If we can be of assistance, our Team is available via telephone 0333 370 4333 and by email info@kangssolicitors.co.uk.
We provide initial no obligation discussion at our three offices in London, Birmingham and Manchester.
Alternatively, discussions can be held virtually through live conferencing or telephone.
