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Journalists reporting from Liverpool Crown Court have shed light on a criminal operation that used a registered utility company to camouflaged their nefarious activities. The masterminds behind this elaborate scheme were Ross McGinn from Merseyside and Andrew Roberts from Greater Manchester, who were convicted along with six other men for their involvement in the conspiracy. Their illegal activities involved digging up streets to supply electricity for cannabis farms, working across at least 54 locations in England and Wales between November 2020 and February 2024. The gang operated under the guise of legitimate workmen, complete with liveried vans, barriers, signage, and road closures.
Both McGinn and Roberts had prior convictions related to drug dealing and were the directors of a company called Elev8 Civils and Utilities Ltd. They enlisted others on a job-by-job basis to connect disused properties to the electricity grid, only for these buildings to be later converted into sophisticated cannabis farms. The quality of their workmanship was described in court as “slipshod” and dangerous, with evidence showing serious burns sustained by Roberts from an explosion caused by poor cable joining work. The gang’s activities were eventually uncovered when police raided a property in Bangor, North Wales, discovering a large cannabis farm powered by stolen electricity.
The North West Regional Organized Crime Unit (NWROCU) played a crucial role in unraveling the conspiracy, tracing leads back to the members of the gang through recovered photographs and seized phones. As the investigation progressed, more individuals involved in the illegal activities were identified, including Scottish Power engineer Colin White, who stole equipment for the operation. The court proceedings revealed the extent of the conspiracy, with prosecutors highlighting the key roles played by each defendant and their culpability in aiding the criminal enterprise. In the end, the defendants faced varying sentences for their crimes, ranging from two years and eight months to six years in prison.
In their defense, some of the accused cited financial difficulties and involvement through intermediaries with connections to Albanian criminal groups running the cannabis farms. Despite attempts to argue that Elev8 was engaged in legitimate work alongside criminal activities, the court found the defendants guilty of charges related to cannabis production and electricity theft. The prosecution and sentencing shed light on the meticulous investigation conducted by law enforcement agencies to dismantle the illegal operations orchestrated by this group of individuals
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