Four men sentenced for importing cannabis from US to UK

While in California in May last year taking part in poker tournaments, Andrew Taylor, of Higher Gate Road, Accrington, was presented with an opportunity to make some money by importing cannabis into the UK.

Andrew Taylor (Image: Lancs Police)

He enlisted his co-defendants, Carl Taylor, Ben Pilkington and David Grundy to help him facilitate the importation, with Carl Taylor acting as his right-hand man, arranging the finances, delivery addresses and finding onward suppliers.

Preston Crown Court heard Pilkington too organised the parcels and received deliveries to addresses in Rishton and Great Harwood, making contact with another man called Matthew Walduck (who will be sentenced at a later date), who would also receive some of the packages.

Pilkington had also been growing cannabis at a property in Whalley Road, which police later discovered contained around 30 plants.

Carl Taylor (Image: Lancs Police)

Grundy had parcels of cannabis delivered to addresses linked to him and would often receive £50 in exchange for his help.

Francis McEntee, prosecuting, said the importation took place between May and November last year, with 14kg of cannabis intercepted by police as it entered the UK, some at Stansted Airport, while around 6kg of cannabis, in 1kg packages, was successfully delivered to some of the defendants.

Mr McEntee said: “This was a business operation running with regular importations by posting kilos of cannabis in packages described as clothing.

“There’s exchanges of messages between Carl and Andrew Taylor and they engage in the importation on multiple kilos of cannabis from the US.

“Andrew Taylor played a lead role, Carl Taylor and Ben Pilkington a significant role, and David Grundy a lesser role.”

Ben Pilkington (Image: Lancs Police)

Recorder Michelle Brown, sentencing, said: “During a number of months you were all involved in conspiracy to import cannabis into the UK from the US for onward supply.

"While not a particularly sophisticated criminal enterprise, it required sourcing cannabis, packaging, and delivery.

“While Andrew Taylor was in the US playing poker he sourced the cannabis and packaged it into 1kg parcels and then at regular intervals would send them to the UK.

“Carl Taylor and Pilkington would source and deliver for onward supply and Grundy would collect.

“It was around 25kg imported in those few months; 14kg was intercepted by the authorities with six packages successfully delivered.”

Andrew Taylor, 37, who has five convictions for seven offences, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug and conspiracy to supply cannabis.

He was jailed for two years and eight months.

Carl Taylor, 40, of Earl Street, Great Harwood, has 13 convictions for 23 offences and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug and conspiracy to supply cannabis.

He was jailed for two years and three months.

Ben Pilkington, 38, of Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, has three convictions for five offences, and pleaded guilty to fraudulently evading a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug and conspiracy to supply cannabis, as well as producing cannabis.

He was jailed for two years and three months.

David Grundy, 25, of Blackburn Road, Great Harwood, has no previous convictions.

He pleaded guilty to fraudulently evading a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug and was handed 13 months in prison suspended for 12 months and told to complete 100 hours unpaid work.

A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing will be held in respect of Andrew Taylor’s ill gotten gains in October.