A drug dealer has been jailed for nine years after he was found in possession of the means to make £4million worth of cannabis-laced boiled sweets.
Ryan Dobson, 54, claimed he only produced the confectionary for cancer patients in order to ease their pain, insisting this was not for financial gain.
He was jailed for nine years at Snaresbrook Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty to a series of charges, including three counts of supplying a Class B drug and possession with intent to supply a Class B drug.
He also admitted producing and importing a Class B drug, alongside possession of a prohibited weapon and a Class A drug.
Dobson’s operation was discovered in November last year when the Met’s Specialist Crime Command raided his home in Dunmow, Essex, finding a ‘lucrative drugs factory’ in his kitchen and garage.
Ryan Dobson, 54, claimed he only produced the confectionary for cancer patients in order to ease their pain, insisting this was not for financial gain. Pictured: Drugs found at Dobson’s home address
Pictured: Cannabis-laced boiled sweets discovered at Dobson’s address in Essex last year
Officers found a large amount of cannabis alongside the equipment necessary for Dobson to produce cubed boiled sweets laced with the drug.
They also discovered high-strength skunk cannabis stalks in ‘professionally packaged and labelled vacuum-sealed plastic wallet type packaging,’ the Met Police said.
Pictured: Drug dealer Ryan Dobson
Detectives found 12 rubber sweet cube sized moulds, some covered in cannabis oil, which enabled the drug dealer to quickly produce 900 cannabis sweets at a time.
The two types of drug and their packaging were found in both an empty state ready for filling and as a ‘finished ready for sale product’ containing either cannabis confectionery or skunk cannabis.
Prosecutor John Clifford told the court that, based on the weight and value of the cannabis sweets, together with more than 20,100 empty tins contained in the 28 large boxes seized in his garage, there was the potential for 745,920 grams with a street value of £3,729,600.
Detectives also found a small quantity of cocaine, two stun guns – one disguised as a torch – and two encrypted mobile phones at Dobson’s address.
The court heard the stun guns had no legitimate purpose, were in working order and were undoubtedly to be used in connection with the Dobson’s illegal prohibited commercial business in cannabis production.
A telecommunications expert confirmed both mobile phones were running the encrypted software ‘EnchroChat.’
Detectives found 12 rubber sweet cube sized moulds, some covered in cannabis oil, which enabled the drug dealer to quickly produce 900 cannabis sweets at a time. Pictured: Drugs found at the address
Detectives also discovered high-strength skunk cannabis stalks in ‘professionally packaged and labelled vacuum-sealed plastic wallet type packaging,’ the Met Police said. Pictured: Drugs found at the address in Essex
The expert said that due to the expense and the nature of using an EncroChat device, priced at £1,500 for a six-month contract, it is unusual to find more than one device with an individual.
The phones showed Dobson was connected to an organised criminal network and knew the massive scale of the operation, the court heard.
Dobson argued that the tins for the sweets were not for a commercial production line or for financial gain and that he only sold cannabis to cancer sufferers.
However, the judge in a Newton Hearing prior to Dobson’s sentencing rejected this proposition and concluded that Dobson played a ‘leading role’ in the commercial supply of cannabis in various forms.
Pictured: Drugs production equipment discovered at Dobson’s address in Essex last year
Detective Inspector Niall McSheffrey, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: ‘Dobson had established a lucrative drugs factory, which could have caused significant harm to children.
‘He converted boiled sweets into cannabis laced sweets and an adult or young person would not have known the difference.
‘Dobson claimed to be selling the cannabis for medicinal purposes to help ease the pain of cancer patients.
‘However, he has no medical training and the cannabis seized was illegal. He was purely selling the cannabis products for financial gain.
‘This conviction and the seizure of these illegal products represents the Met’s commitment to tackle all safeguarding issues and bring those involved in the manufacture and supply of drugs to justice.’