Organised crime ring jailed for Spice factory in Swindon

Bea Swallow - BBC News, West of England
·3-min read
Kati To, Vicky To, and Quyen To mugshots
Kati To (left), Vicky To (middle), and Quyen To (right) were jailed for their involvement in the crime group [Wiltshire Police]

An organised crime group has been jailed for supplying Spice, a synthetic cannabis.

Five individuals were sentenced on 5 April at Bristol Crown Court following an investigation by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).

Quyen To, 42, of William Morris Way in Swindon, was the central figure in the group, responsible for import, export and production of the Class B drug.

Det Insp Claire Smith said they showed "utter disregard for human life".

The investigation began in the summer of 2020 when UK Border Force intercepted 4kg (9lb) of Spice crystals destined for properties owned by, or associated with, Quyen To.

The seizure of these packages resulted in warrants at his home address in Swindon, where officers from SWROCU uncovered a drug production factory in the garage.

Boxes and black bags full of spice
Inside the garage were black bags full of prepared Spice, ready to be exported [SWROCU]

Paraphernalia associated with the production of Spice, including marshmallow leaf, rat poison, and sweet flavourings, were also found in the garage.

Quyen To's nephew, Rio Nguyen, who was 17 at the time, was arrested at the scene. He was wearing a respiratory mask and preparing the drugs for onward supply.

In total, 40kg (88lb) of class B drugs were seized from Quyen To's home, as well as computers, phones and receipts which showed he had been distributing a large number of packages containing Spice across the UK and around the world, to countries including Kuwait and Nigeria.

SWROCU investigators were able to prove Quyen To had been aided by a network of friends, family and acquaintances for many years: his estranged wife Kati To, 42, from Wiltshire, his sister Vicky To, 40, from London, and Michael Clarke, 58, from London.

A box full of packets of rat poison
Experts speculate that Spice may be deliberately tainted with rat poison to prolong the high [SWROCU]

Quyen To was jailed for 16 years in prison for his involvement in running the Spice factory.

Clarke, who received parcels containing Spice from China on behalf of Quyen To, was found guilty of importation and conspiracy to supply class B drugs and sentenced to seven years in prison.

Vicky To was found guilty of importation, exportation and supply of class B drugs and was sentenced to six years.

Clarke and Nguyen mugshots
Clarke (left) was sentenced to seven years, while Nguyen (right) was handed two years and two months [Wiltshire Police]

To's nephew, Nguyen, who was packing and sending drugs abroad was given two years and two months for exportation and supply of class B drugs.

Kati To, who made payments abroad on behalf of her estranged husband, previously pleaded guilty to money laundering and received a ten-month sentence suspended for 12 months, as well as 40 hours of unpaid work.

Det Insp Smith from SWROCU said: "Quyen To and his accomplices have shown utter disregard for human life having manufactured and distributed vast quantities of Spice around the world.

"The activities and criminality of this group were driven by greed and financial gain and I am pleased to see significant prison sentences have been handed down.

"SWROCU will continue to relentlessly disrupt serious and organised crime and the convictions in this case should act as a clear deterrent to those pursuing such criminal activity."

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