From South East Asia to Bloxwich: Gang in £21m drugs smuggling racket jailed
A drugs gang at the centre of a multi-million pound cannabis smuggling racket have been jailed for a total of more than 26 years.
The crime syndicate, including men from Walsall and Wednesbury, were caught red-handed by chance when police called at luxury flats to view CCTV footage following reports by neighbours of suspicious activity.
Six men were arrested, one carrying notebooks detailing drugs deals worth more than £21 million.
Residents spoke of large numbers of couriered cardboard boxes from overseas being delivered to a number of apartments at the Orion Building in Navigation Street, Birmingham, earlier this year.
A mobile phone number on one of the packages containing a large amount of cannabis was found on a similar parcel intercepted by customs.
On January 2, as police arrived to view the building’s camera footage, a BMW linked to the gang entered the car park. Believing that a drug deal was about to take place, the officers called for back-up.
Two passengers were seen to enter the complex, later returning with large laundry bags which they put in the boot of the car.
Officers moved in to arrest driver Michael Chung and passengers Xin Lin and Kang Wu.
In the boot they found three vacuum-packed bags containing large stashes of cannabis.
As they waited for transport to police custody, two more men left the apartment block and were searched.
They were Ciang Zheng, who was carrying a large quantity of cash and a lock knife, and Ching Loo, carrying detailed ledgers itemising cannabis transactions to the value of more than £21 million.
A sixth suspect, Xie Peng, was found in the lift with more laundry bags containing several more vacuum packed bags of cannabis hidden under clothing.
A search of four apartments in the building produced a total discovery of £500,000 worth of cannabis. Scales and air extraction units were also found.
A seventh suspect, Yu Weixin, was picked up on John Bright Street in another BMW linked to the gang.
Six of the men, described as part of a South East Asian organised crime group, were found guilty of conspiracy to supply cannabis after a four-week trial at Birmingham Crown court.
Michael Chung, aged 43, of Hollands Drive, Bloxwich and Xin Lin, 29, of no fixed address, were both jailed for seven years
Ching Loo, 51, of Brookside, Wednesbury, was sentenced to five years behind bars and Yu Weixin, 28, of Horndean Road, Sheffield, jailed for 30 months.
Xie Peng, 29, and Ciang Zheng, 36, both of no fixed address, were given 28 months and 27 months respectively. Kang Wu, 27, was acquitted.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Danny Wilson said: "This conviction has seen a significant amount of drugs removed from the streets of Birmingham.
"The proceeds from their criminal activity saw these offenders driving luxury cars and renting sought after apartments as they benefited to the tune of thousands of pounds from the misery of others."
