GUILTY VERDICTS IN RAMSBURY DRUGS RAID CASE

Following searches at an industrial unit in Ramsbury and a farm in Wanborough earlier this year, three men have today been found guilty for their roles in the distribution of drug, nationally, with an estimated street value of around £60 million.

David Barnes from Hungerford, Michael Woodage from Whitchurch, Hampshire, and Christopher Wills from Bracknell were all found guilty at Bristol Crown Court following a 6 week trial.  Stephen Docking was acquitted.

Five others, Nigel Hyland from Swindon, Franciscus Kattekamp from Holland, Alexander Post from Belvedere, Kent, Emma Stevens from Bracknell and Paul Atkins from Bracknell had already pleaded guilty to their involvement.

On Friday 24th April 2010 Wiltshire Police stopped a van being driven by Stephen Docking on the M4 travelling towards London, containing 50kg of cannabis skunk with an estimated street value of £225,000.

In the early hours of Saturday April 25th police stopped a transit van, being driven my Michael Woodage, on an isolated farm in Wanborough, Swindon, containing 226kg of cannabis skunk with a street value of over £1 million. Highly secure buildings on the farm, which was leased by David Barnes, were covered by high tech security systems and contained fork lift trucks, shrink wrapping equipment and other drugs related items consistent with a ‘distribution centre’ set up. Ledgers were discovered which linked the farm with the importation and distribution of approximately 10 tons of cannabis skunk with a street value of approximately £60 million in a 14 week period.

A further search warrant was executed at an industrial unit, leased by Michael Woodage, in Whittonditch, Ramsbury, near Hungerford in May last year, 2009, which again contained equipment consistent with a drugs distribution centre.

As a result of these raids and subsequent investigation 9 people were arrested and charged in connection with the supply of Class B drugs.

Following today’s verdict Chief Inspector Owen Gillard who headed the investigation said:

“Operation Scarlet has been the largest operation of this nature in Wiltshire, and is certainly one of the largest drugs operations throughout the United Kingdom....

....We want people and communities to feel confident about coming forward with information  to help identify crime networks, like the one we have seen operate in this case, safe in the knowledge that we will act and take decisive action. All information will be treated in confidence and I appeal to anyone with any information to contact the police.”