Nine men accused of Shropshire drug smuggling plot up in court
Nine men alleged to be involved in a 15-month international conspiracy to smuggle cannabis into Shropshire have appeared at crown court.
The defendants are said to have been part of an importation ring bringing the Class B drug to the Market Drayton area.
All nine – from Shropshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Hampshire and London – are charged with conspiring to import cannabis between November 2011 and February this year. At a preliminary hearing at Birmingham Crown Court yesterday Judge William Davies QC said any trial would not be heard before April. The case was adjourned until January 24 for a plea and case management hearing.
David North, 50, from Blore Road in Hales, near Market Drayton, Bann Klootwijk, 47, of London Road, Nantwich, and Mark Ballinger, 32, of Farnborough, Hampshire, were all remanded in custody.
Gary Keith Davies, 37, of Overdale, Telford, and formerly from Market Drayton, Ashleigh Watkin, 38, from Loggerheads, near Market Drayton, Jamie Grant, 25, of Sovereign Lane, Ashley, near Market Drayton, David Thompson, 42, of Laburnum Avenue, Cannock, David Berry, 42 of Redford Road, Manchester, and Craig David Little, 31, of Duffield Road, Middleton, were all allowed bail with a condition attached of having no contact with any of their co-accused.
