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Gang posted cannabis between US and Yorkshire

Alex Moss
BBC News Yorkshire
Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit Custody pictures of four men. One of the men is smiling, wearing glasses and a red shirt with a white T-shirt underneath. The second man has a skinhead and is wearng a zipped-up light grey jacket, The third man has dark, short hair and is wearing a light grey T-shirt. The fourth man has short, black hair with a stubble and is wearing a black top. Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit
Police said more than 260 parcels were sent between the two countries

A gang of men who plotted to import cannabis from the US to Yorkshire by sending hundreds of parcels in the post have been sentenced.

Some of the 10 men flew out to California to oversee the exportation of high-grade cannabis, which had a total street value of about £800,000.

An investigation by Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit found the packages were sent from US Post Office branches and were tracked using delivery apps with other gang members collecting them from UK addresses.

The defendants were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court on Thursday.

Police said customs declaration forms were filled in by the men, which claimed the parcels contained items such as clothing from a sportswear company.

Officers estimated that more than 260 parcels were sent between the two countries between November 2017 and June 2018.

Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit Several white and brown envelopes laying outside on pebbles outside a house. There are clear plastic bags next to them as well as small pots. Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit
The drugs were delivered to addresses in the UK

They said the drugs were sold on across the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Those listed below were sentenced after admitting conspiracy to import cannabis:

  • Karl Callaghan, 41, of Scargill Grange, Leeds, was sentenced to three years and 10 months.
  • Dane Martin, 35, of Garden Village, Leeds, was sentenced to three years and six months.
  • Richard Sykes, 35, of Kingswear Glen, Austhorpe, Leeds, also admitted possession of cocaine and was sentenced to two years and five months.
  • Jon Paul Sharp, 36, of Ludlow Avenue, Garforth, Leeds was sentenced to two years and five months.
  • Joseph Morton, 33, of Strawberry Avenue, Garforth, Leeds, also admitted possession of criminal cash. He was sentenced to one year and 11 months, suspended for two years, 250 hours of unpaid work and 30 days' rehabilitation activity requirement.
  • Callum Kitchen, 31, of Finkle Street, Sherburn in Elmet, also admitted possession of cocaine. He was sentenced to 12 months, suspended for 18 months with 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement.
  • Ryan Armitage, 34, of Maple Close, Selby, was sentenced to 15 months, suspended for two years and 150 hours of unpaid work.
  • James Laycock, 38, of Oaks Road, Batley, was sentenced to 21 months, suspended for two years with 200 hours of unpaid work.

Two other men, Jordan Lilliu and Daniel Kaye, were found guilty of conspiracy to import cannabis following a trial.

Lilliu, 34, of Cawdell Way, South Milford, was sentenced to a four-month night curfew and 20 days of rehabilitation activity requirement.

Kaye, 36, of Pondfields Close, Kippax, Leeds, was sentenced to 300 hours of unpaid work.

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