Brian Pitts, the mastermind behind a massive fake Xanax drug-making operation worth £4 million in the West Midlands, has been sentenced to eight years in prison. The operation, which involved the production of up to 11 million tablets in sheds and garages in Tipton, Wednesbury, and Wolverhampton, was orchestrated from a luxurious villa in Thailand by Pitts and his former partner, Katie Harlow. The illegal enterprise took place between 2018 and 2019 and saw the distribution of fake tablets across the UK and the USA via the dark web using cryptocurrency payments.
The fake tablets created by the gang had varying amounts of the active ingredient Alprazalam, with some having no active ingredient at all, while others contained double the recommended dosage. Pitts, who pleaded guilty to six charges, including conspiracy to supply Class C drugs, was described by Judge John Butterfield as the “beating heart” of the operation, controlling every aspect of the drug manufacturing and distribution process. Pitts was arrested upon his return to the UK, along with Harlow and another individual, Lee Lloyd, where they were found in possession of designer clothes and Rolex watches.
In addition to Pitts, Harlow, and Lloyd, four other members of the gang have been sentenced, with five more awaiting their sentencing in the coming days. Harlow received a two-year and one-month sentence for converting and transferring criminal property, while Lee Lloyd was sentenced to seven years and two months for his involvement in the operation. Kyle Smith and Mark Bayley were also sentenced to four years and six years, five months, respectively, for their roles in the drug-making enterprise. The gang had purchased legal pill-making machines to produce the fake Xanax tablets, which could have fetched them over £11 million on the market.
Judge Butterfield emphasized the seriousness of the enterprise, noting that the operation was not a “minor cottage industry” but instead a large-scale, organized criminal endeavor. The gang sourced raw materials from China to produce the illicit Alprazolam tablets, which can pose serious health risks due to the unknown and potentially harmful substances they may contain. Pfizer, the legitimate manufacturer of Xanax, initiated the investigation into the counterfeit drug operation, which ultimately led to the arrest and prosecution of the individuals involved
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