Justice catches up with Spice dealer who fled UK after drug den was raided
A SPICE dealer fled to Spain with the help of a mate after police discovered his drug den worth £1million - but justice eventually caught up with him.
Matthew Styles, 34, had a shipping container in Middleton where officers found large amounts of powder, chemicals and marshmallow leaves used in the production of the so-called ‘zombie’ drug.
Styles, from Oldham, was a ‘prolific’ Spice dealer who imported materials from China and supplied the drug across Manchester, Greater Manchester Police said.
He first came to the attention of police in early 2017.
Following the reclassification of Spice as a Class B drug in December 2016, GMP launched an operation around anti-social behaviour and drug-taking in the Piccadilly Gardens area of Manchester.
The city centre square had become synonymous with people under the effects of the drug at the time. While under surveillance, Styles was observed at a shop where he purchased marshmallow leaves which are used in the production of Spice, police said.
He was also spotted under surveillance at the shipping container in Middleton which was eventually raided on 8 December 2017.
In the container, officers discovered 1.5kg of cannabinoid powder, acetone and 70 kilos marshmallow leaves, as well as the equipment needed to produce Spice.
Officers then searched Styles’ home and found a delivery note for a package from China, which was used to import the cannabinoid to make Spice.
Styles’ numerous phones also provided ample evidence of his involvement in dealing Spice and importing materials.
Over the course of the investigation it was established that Styles had purchased enough marshmallow leaf to produce 647kgs of Spice which would have a street value of around one million pounds.
He failed to attend court in 2018 and following work by detectives, it was discovered he had fled the UK using a hire vehicle to travel through the Channel tunnel into France and subsequently into Spain.
He was assisted by Keith Pritchard 58, of Brigsteer Walk, Collyhurst, who hired and drove the vehicle out of the UK and arranged for the purchase of the travel tickets.
Pritchard was arrested on his return to the UK in December 2018 and Styles was later arrested in the UK on 19 August 2020.
They were both charged with conspiring to pervert the course of justice and pleaded guilty in April 2021. Pritchard was jailed for 18 months for his part.
After pleading guilty at an earlier hearing, Styles was jailed for 11 and a half years at Minshull Street Crown Court for charges including conspiracy to supply a Class B drug (Spice), conspiracy to produce a Class B drug (Spice), importation of Spice and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.
Detective Chief Inspector Patrick Goodrich of GMP’S City of Manchester Division, said: “From the sheer volume of Spice we recovered, it’s clear that Styles was a prolific supplier with no concern for the vulnerable people he was putting at risk; exploiting their weaknesses just to increase the profits of his selfish, illicit, business.
“The supply of drugs is absolutely unacceptable and I hope this sentence encourages other people who have been affected by drugs in their area, to report this to us so we can take action.
“We do and will continue to act on the information that we receive from people about the supply and manufacture of drugs.
“Today shows that no matter how big your production, we have the resources and processes to take you down.”