Three men have been sentenced to prison for running a large-scale drug supply network that used postal services to distribute Class A and Class B drugs across the United Kingdom from a warehouse in Edenfield, Bury.
The operation was dismantled by police, leading to the seizure of controlled substances with an estimated value exceeding £2.2 million, along with cash, encrypted devices, and packaging equipment.
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Sentences Handed Down
Iain Potter, of Sefton Drive in Liverpool, and Jack Wright, of Westgate Lane in Wakefield, each received prison sentences of 11 years and four months after admitting conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs.
Ross Fathi, of Wingfield Drive in Wilmslow, was jailed for six years following his conviction for conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs.
The three individuals operated from a warehouse facility in Edenfield between January and April 2025.
Investigators stated the site had been configured as a distribution center containing packaging stations, vacuum sealing machines, label printers, and prepared Royal Mail bags.
Officers also discovered lists containing names and addresses alongside parcels ready for immediate dispatch.
Royal Mail records indicated that 1,724 parcels weighing between 0.1kg and 10kg were dispatched between February and April 2025, utilizing false return addresses to mask the origin of the deliveries.
Seizures and Evidence
A search warrant executed at the warehouse uncovered substances including cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, cannabis resin, and THC edibles.
Forensic analysis linked empty packaging to at least 19 kilograms of cocaine with a potential street value of up to £1.9 million, while other seized drugs were valued between £109,755 and £337,432.
Investigators recovered more than £13,000 in cash, encrypted mobile devices, and equipment used to process and package the substances.
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On April 24, 2025, police officers arrested Potter and Wright in Ramsbottom after intercepting them with a suitcase containing five kilograms of cannabis skunk.
Subsequent searches at their residences led to the discovery of additional drugs and packaging linked to wholesale supply, including MDMA, ketamine, LSD, and cocaine.
Fathi was arrested at the Edenfield warehouse, where encrypted messaging evidence linked him to the conspiracy as a courier and packer who received instructions from Potter regarding Class A drug stock levels.
Police Statement
Detective Constable Liam Smith from Greater Manchester Police's Serious Crime Division said: "This was an organised criminal enterprise on an industrial scale, they would act as a legitimate outfit, flooding drugs via parcels throughout the country."
Smith added: "Potter, Wright and Fathi would use encrypted devices, fake addresses, and sophisticated packaging methods to try and evade detection.
The quantity of drugs involved, and the planning shows they weren't small time dealers, they ran a criminal outfit who were looking to maximise profits on a daily basis."
"Today's sentencing sends a clear message, if you choose to engage in drug supply, we will find you, dismantle your network, and bring you to justice," Smith said.
"We will continue to target those who exploit vulnerable people for financial gain and ensure they face prison time."
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Greater Manchester Police also highlighted its Home Office-backed Buy Now, Pay Later campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the risks and consequences of purchasing cannabis online through overseas parcel networks.
