Popular Post webfact Posted Friday at 08:04 PM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 08:04 PM A British couple, Brian Pitts, 29, and Katie Harlow, 26, are poised to face lengthy prison terms for their roles in orchestrating a counterfeit Xanax operation from their luxury villa in Thailand. The duo allegedly ran a thriving drug empire, distributing fake Xanax pills across the dark web from makeshift labs in the West Midlands, UK. Relatives and friends were also implicated in this multimillion-pound scheme, which saw over £4 million (roughly 185 million baht) worth of counterfeit pills sold online. The bust followed a five-year investigation led by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which found the pills were dangerously mixed with other substances. UK Regional Organised Crime Units worked together to bring the gang down, leading to ten arrests, including Pitts and Harlow. Pitts admitted to conspiracy to supply class C drugs and trademark offences, while Harlow pled guilty to money laundering. Two other key gang members, Jordan Pitts, 25, and Bladen Roper, 24, were convicted on June 19 at Wolverhampton Crown Court for abetting the operation. Police reports revealed massive profits were made between 2018 and 2019, laundered through Bitcoin transactions. A 2019 raid uncovered a production site in a shed in Tipton, featuring an industrial powder mixer. Another site in Wolverhampton housed a tablet press and handwritten recipe lists. Detective Inspector Dave Hollies highlighted the scale of the operation, noting over two tonnes of bulking agents and 220 kilograms of active ingredients were purchased by the group. Evidence showed the counterfeit pills had a broad distribution range, reaching Europe and America. The gang faces charges of conspiracy to supply class C drugs, trademark offences, and money laundering. Sentencing is due soon, according to reports from Daily Mail UK. Xanax, a powerful tranquilizer for anxiety and panic disorders, isn't available on the NHS but can be prescribed privately in the UK. TOP: Brian Pitts (L) and Katie Harlow (R). Picture courtesy: West Midlands Police via Brimingham Live -- 2024-06-22 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe 4 1 1 1 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post NickyLouie Posted Friday at 08:23 PM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 08:23 PM Quote The bust followed a five-year investigation led by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer LOL 5 1 1 1 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post bkk6060 Posted Friday at 09:33 PM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 09:33 PM DIsgusting people hope they enjoy their long prison sentences. 6 2 2 1 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post stoner Posted Friday at 09:42 PM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 09:42 PM 1 hour ago, NickyLouie said: Quote The bust followed a five-year investigation led by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer LOL i know right. can't have any competition cutting into corporate profits. 6 4 1 3 8 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSD1 Posted Friday at 10:22 PM Share Posted Friday at 10:22 PM Brian Pitts, Ok, Brad's brother, to be expected. 2 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post chiman Posted Friday at 10:34 PM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 10:34 PM They looked relaxed... 1 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post harleyclarkey Posted Friday at 10:40 PM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 10:40 PM Ah good! I was wondering what happened to reports of Brits and their criminal activities. Thank you Brian and Katie - you've restored our faith in Brit crimmos!! Anyway...enjoy your extended time in Thailand in the lap of luxury. Luxury did I say that? 😂😂😂 1 3 4 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ezzra Posted Friday at 10:47 PM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 10:47 PM It took them a whole 5 years to uncover this scam of 2 kids dealing in drugs? can't say much for the slow and layback ways those guys were investigating the case, maybe in their books it wasn't a priority, who nows?... 2 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post CLUBBER Posted Friday at 10:49 PM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 10:49 PM 2 hours ago, webfact said: A British couple, Brian Pitts, 29, and Katie Harlow, 26, are poised to face lengthy prison terms for their roles in orchestrating a counterfeit Xanax operation from their luxury villa in Thailand. The duo allegedly ran a thriving drug empire, distributing fake Xanax pills across the dark web from makeshift labs in the West Midlands, UK. Relatives and friends were also implicated in this multimillion-pound scheme, which saw over £4 million (roughly 185 million baht) worth of counterfeit pills sold online. The bust followed a five-year investigation led by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which found the pills were dangerously mixed with other substances. UK Regional Organised Crime Units worked together to bring the gang down, leading to ten arrests, including Pitts and Harlow. Pitts admitted to conspiracy to supply class C drugs and trademark offences, while Harlow pled guilty to money laundering. Two other key gang members, Jordan Pitts, 25, and Bladen Roper, 24, were convicted on June 19 at Wolverhampton Crown Court for abetting the operation. Police reports revealed massive profits were made between 2018 and 2019, laundered through Bitcoin transactions. A 2019 raid uncovered a production site in a shed in Tipton, featuring an industrial powder mixer. Another site in Wolverhampton housed a tablet press and handwritten recipe lists. Detective Inspector Dave Hollies highlighted the scale of the operation, noting over two tonnes of bulking agents and 220 kilograms of active ingredients were purchased by the group. Evidence showed the counterfeit pills had a broad distribution range, reaching Europe and America. The gang faces charges of conspiracy to supply class C drugs, trademark offences, and money laundering. Sentencing is due soon, according to reports from Daily Mail UK. Xanax, a powerful tranquilizer for anxiety and panic disorders, isn't available on the NHS but can be prescribed privately in the UK. TOP: Brian Pitts (L) and Katie Harlow (R). Picture courtesy: West Midlands Police via Brimingham Live -- 2024-06-22 Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe Hope the have to do the time in a Thai prison instead of a UK one 4 2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotchilli Posted Friday at 11:09 PM Share Posted Friday at 11:09 PM 1 hour ago, bkk6060 said: DIsgusting people hope they enjoy their long prison sentences. So will the two found in Thailand be sentenced in Thailand or sent back to the UK.. I bet they wish to be extradited. 2 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post tubber Posted Friday at 11:10 PM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 11:10 PM Just now, hotchilli said: So will the two found in Thailand be sentenced in Thailand or sent back to the UK.. I bet they wish to be extradited. They were arrested on return to the Uk and tried in Wolverhampton Crown Court. 8 1 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hotchilli Posted Friday at 11:15 PM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 11:15 PM 5 minutes ago, tubber said: They were arrested on return to the Uk and tried in Wolverhampton Crown Court. Thx 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardinalblue Posted Friday at 11:19 PM Share Posted Friday at 11:19 PM What has thailand have to do with it other than this is where they were residing? I guess this business operation was happening right under their noses and knew nothing about it this legal case is being handled in the west…the biggest question is how thailand handle extraditing them back to England to stand trail? Don’t they have to be found guilty first in a court of law silly for thailand to get involved legally…wash their hands of them as quickly as possible would be their best strategy 1 6 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post tubber Posted Friday at 11:23 PM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 11:23 PM 1 minute ago, cardinalblue said: What has thailand have to do with it other than this is where they were residing? I guess this business operation was happening right under their noses and knew nothing about it this legal case is being handled in the west…the biggest question is how thailand handle extraditing them back to England to stand trail? Don’t they have to be found guilty first in a court of law silly for thailand to get involved legally…wash their hands of them as quickly as possible would be their best strategy They have already stood trial and been found guilty in the UK. They will be sentenced at a later date. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ukrules Posted Friday at 11:25 PM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 11:25 PM 35 minutes ago, CLUBBER said: Hope the have to do the time in a Thai prison instead of a UK one Were they not convicted in a British court? 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post proton Posted Friday at 11:43 PM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 11:43 PM 32 minutes ago, tubber said: They were arrested on return to the Uk and tried in Wolverhampton Crown Court. Suspended sentence then, UK prisons are full 2 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tequila makes me happy Posted Friday at 11:48 PM Share Posted Friday at 11:48 PM Very enterprising for a couple who would have been 24 & 21 at the time. Appears they would have gotten away with moving over 2 ton of product if they didn't offend against trademark law and get Pfizer on their case. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Drumbuie Posted Friday at 11:53 PM Popular Post Share Posted Friday at 11:53 PM If this operation began in 2018, those two charmers were 23 and 20, and their two accomplices still in their teens. I can't help thinking they're taking the fall ( in a UK not Thai jail, guys, it helps to read *all* the words) for someone older with a lot of capital behind them. 1 1 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post impulse Posted Saturday at 12:04 AM Popular Post Share Posted Saturday at 12:04 AM Note to self... Sell heroin. Or fentanyl. Less chance of getting punished than pirating a Pfizer product. 1 1 4 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabai-dee-man Posted Saturday at 12:16 AM Share Posted Saturday at 12:16 AM 1 hour ago, CLUBBER said: Hope the have to do the time in a Thai prison instead of a UK one Why? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post stoner Posted Saturday at 12:18 AM Popular Post Share Posted Saturday at 12:18 AM 13 minutes ago, impulse said: Note to self... Sell heroin. Or fentanyl. Less chance of getting punished than pirating a Pfizer product. just think pfizer had a working vaccine in a 10th of the time. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post renaissanc Posted Saturday at 12:28 AM Popular Post Share Posted Saturday at 12:28 AM When you decide to commit a crime, you should think: "I WILL be caught eventually. Am I prepared to be confined in a British or Thai jail for 10-20 years during the best years of my life?" 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post steven100 Posted Saturday at 12:29 AM Popular Post Share Posted Saturday at 12:29 AM Good job, another nasty duo off the streets. 1 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravip Posted Saturday at 12:31 AM Share Posted Saturday at 12:31 AM 1 hour ago, chiman said: They looked relaxed... After Xanax? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post OneMoreFarang Posted Saturday at 12:36 AM Popular Post Share Posted Saturday at 12:36 AM 4 hours ago, webfact said: Police reports revealed massive profits were made between 2018 and 2019 Why are there massive profits? Because those drugs can be produced cheap. If pharma companies would sell their products at reasonable prices, then those private scammers wouldn't exist. 1 1 2 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravip Posted Saturday at 12:36 AM Share Posted Saturday at 12:36 AM orchestrating a counterfeit Xanax operation It seems that not only the Chinese that specialise in counterfeiting! Stiff competition is gaining ground, with the influx of quality tourists! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post FinChin67 Posted Saturday at 12:52 AM Popular Post Share Posted Saturday at 12:52 AM 2 hours ago, ezzra said: It took them a whole 5 years to uncover this scam of 2 kids dealing in drugs? can't say much for the slow and layback ways those guys were investigating the case, maybe in their books it wasn't a priority, who nows?... They are busy creating killer products, like covid vaccines. 1 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WDSmart Posted Saturday at 01:09 AM Share Posted Saturday at 01:09 AM They look like nice people... 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbee2022 Posted Saturday at 01:21 AM Share Posted Saturday at 01:21 AM Oh, great, again Brits as criminals in the headlines.😂. Thailand's quality tourists 🙏 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excogitator Posted Saturday at 01:47 AM Share Posted Saturday at 01:47 AM 1 hour ago, OneMoreFarang said: Why are there massive profits? Because those drugs can be produced cheap. If pharma companies would sell their products at reasonable prices, then those private scammers wouldn't exist. Sure, lots of generic drugs could be made and sold a lot cheaper. In this case, however, we're talking about counterfeit drugs with potentially harmful ingredients. It's in the interest of public health and safety to get them, and the people producing and selling them, off the streets. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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