Gang is jailed for ‘prolific conspiracy’ to produce drugs

Fifteen people have been convicted of playing a part in the UK’s biggest ever cannabis cultivation operation.

The gang – including a man from Yalding and a man from Paddock Wood – grew the drug at sites in High Street, Rochester; Canal Basin, Gravesend; Staplehurst Road, Sittingbourne and Norfolk with an estimated annual yield worth more than £26 million.

Each location was set up in an almost identical manner, across two storeys inside industrial units and 16,428 cannabis plants were seized.

Prior to the first trial which took place between September and November Stephen Macey, 25, of Commercial Road, Paddock Wood, pleaded guilty to five counts of conspiring to produce cannabis and five counts of abstracting electricity.

Three other men also admitted various charges linked to the case.

Following the trial, Michael Edward Corcoran, 51 and of Mount Avenue, Yalding, was found guilty of seven counts of conspiring to produce cannabis and five counts of abstracting electricity.

His son, Michael Jay Corcoran, 28, from Gillingham, was found guilty of four counts of conspiring to produce cannabis and four counts of abstracting electricity.

Six other men were also convicted of various offences.

Following a second trial at the Old Bailey, which concluded last week, a further three men were convicted while Ellie Louise Corcoran, 21 and of Commercial Road, Paddock Wood, was found not guilty of three counts of conspiring to produce cannabis and three counts of abstracting electricity.

All those convicted will be sentenced in July.

Det Insp James Derham, of Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: “This was a highly organised and prolific conspiracy to produce and sell cannabis on an industrial scale.

“We estimate the annual s t r e e t va lue o f the s e plants was in excess of £26 million – a significant amount of money that could have been used to fund further criminal activity.

“This case was a significant undertaking by the investigation team due to the level of sophistication and analytical work.

“This case sends out a clear message that Kent Police has the resources and expertise to bring offenders involved in high level, organised criminality to justice.”