FOUR members of a gang which imported kilos of cannabis from the USA to post to addresses across the UK have been sentenced.

Jordan James Mehta, 36, of Shrewsbury Street, Prees, Ben Edward Pearce, 28, of Kings Drive, Helsby, Joshua Peter Jones, 26, of Steam Mill Street, Chester and Daniel John Hewitt, 38, of Elm Close, Tarporley, all pleaded guilty to their involvement in the gang, which saw nearly 10kg of the class B drug being seized.

Mehta was seen as playing a leading role in the gang, arranging for parcels of cannabis to be collected and then redistributed.

The defendant, who ran businesses The Vape Escape and Who's Your Daddy ejuice in Buckley, Flintshire, pleaded guilty to conspiring to import cannabis, conspiring to supply cannabis and transferring the gains from that illegally.

At Chester Crown Court on Thursday, September 16, Honorary Recorder of Chester Judge Steven Everett jailed Mehta for 45 months, with Pearce and Jones receiving suspended sentences and Hewitt a community order.

Prosecuting, Philip Clemo told the court the cannabis was imported from California, while there was additional cannabis sourced from within the UK, during the period of the operation between September 2019 and February 2021.

In total, 9.494kg of cannabis had been intercepted and seized. He said the cannabis was valued at between £46,375 and £87,300.

Mehta was arrested in June 2020.

Border Force UK intercepted 13 packages of cannabis, each weighing roughly 250g, totalling about 3kg, addressed to Pearce's chosen addresses of either his mother's home address or that of a Warrington business where he worked.

Pearce was "instrumental" in posting the packages, which would be sent from Helsby Post Office, acting on directions from Mehta. He was arrested in April 2020.

For Jones, the UK Border Force intercepted two parcels addressed to him, each weighing just under 250g and containing cannabis. He admitted having received a third, similar-sized parcel.

For Hewitt, one cannabis parcel weighing 310g was intercepted, and had Hewitt's address on it.

When interviewed in July 2020, Hewitt said he had been purchasing cannabis from Mehta for years, and was asked to take delivery of parcels to reduce his drug debt.

Mehta had previous convictions for possession with intent to supply cannabis and possession of cannabis. Pearce had a previous conviction for drug-driving, Hewitt had a previous conviction for possession of cannabis, and Jones was of previous good character.

Michael Gamulka, defending Mehta, said not all of the 9.5kg of cannabis had been imported from the USA.

Mehta was a "committed family man" and had a head for legitimate business, developing the Vape shop, but then "threw it away" with a gambling addiction.

He had worked hard over the past 13 months to get back in his family's good books, and had started up a new kennelling business.

He had a "real and palpable sense of shame".

Peter Barnett, defending Pearce, said the defendant was acting under direction during the offending period, to pay off a "significant" cocaine debt.

Pearce had struggled to work due to a fatigue-inducing illness that had only been diagnosed in the past 12 months, and that had left him out of work.

Since being arrested, Pearce had stopped being involved in the operation and had found employment which allowed him, with his fatigue condition, to work from home.

Richard Thomas, defending Jones, said the defendant had developed a cannabis addiction and debt while studying at university, which eventually led him to drop out of the course.

He was to be paid £100 for receiving each cannabis parcel, which he then spent on more cannabis.

He admitted receiving a third cannabis parcel which the authorities had not intercepted.

Since his arrest, which came as a "cathartic moment" for Jones, he was able to turn his life around and seek support from his family, who had not previously been made aware of the situation.

Jones had stopped using cannabis and had found employment in Chester.

Chris Hunt, defending Hewitt, said the defendant had been suffering "chronic back issues" which resulted in him using cannabis to self-medicate, and he built up a debt.

Once the authorities had contacted Hewitt about the cannabis parcel, Hewitt had stopped taking cannabis and sought proper medical intervention, and there had been no further offending.

Judge Everett said that although cannabis is a class B drug, it is serious, as each of the defendants knew, and had been a "blight" on the lives of Hewitt and Jones.

Mehta had previously received a suspended sentence for possession with intent to supply cannabis, and Judge Everett said: "You did not learn from it."

Mehta was jailed for 45 months, less the 77 days he had spent on a qualifying curfew.

Each of the three remaining defendants became tearful as they were spared prison sentences.

Pearce was handed an 18-month prison term, suspended for 18 months, and must complete 35 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

Jones was handed a four-month prison term, suspended for 18 months, and must complete 150 hours unpaid work.

Hewitt was handed an 18-month community order, and must complete 100 hours unpaid work and 20 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

  • A fifth defendant, Jason Alexander Bowater, pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of transferring criminal property between September 2019 and February 2021.

Bowater, 26, of Greenfield Park, Saltney, will be sentenced at a later date and was released on conditional bail.