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| Laughing gas gang set up bogus firms to import 91 million canisters | |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| Carl Messen, Benjamin Richardson and Thomas Richardson were jailed at Leeds Crown Court | Carl Messen, Benjamin Richardson and Thomas Richardson were jailed at Leeds Crown Court |
| Three men who helped import 91 million canisters of laughing gas into the UK through a series of bogus catering firms have been jailed. | Three men who helped import 91 million canisters of laughing gas into the UK through a series of bogus catering firms have been jailed. |
| Carl Messen, 58, and twin brothers Thomas and Benjamin Richardson, both 38, brought lorry loads of nitrous oxide into the country between May 2016 and December 2018. | Carl Messen, 58, and twin brothers Thomas and Benjamin Richardson, both 38, brought lorry loads of nitrous oxide into the country between May 2016 and December 2018. |
| Leeds Crown Court heard the trio also used the fake companies to launder more than £16.7m made from the scheme. | Leeds Crown Court heard the trio also used the fake companies to launder more than £16.7m made from the scheme. |
| Messen, from Doncaster, and the Richardson brothers, from Barlby, North Yorkshire, were jailed on Thursday after being convicted of conspiracy to import a psychoactive substance following a trial. | Messen, from Doncaster, and the Richardson brothers, from Barlby, North Yorkshire, were jailed on Thursday after being convicted of conspiracy to import a psychoactive substance following a trial. |
| Nitrous oxide is used as an anaesthetic in dentistry and medicine. It is also used legitimately in the catering industry as a propellant in whipped cream dispensers. | Nitrous oxide is used as an anaesthetic in dentistry and medicine. It is also used legitimately in the catering industry as a propellant in whipped cream dispensers. |
| In 2016 it was made illegal to supply or import nitrous oxide if it was likely to be consumed for its psychoactive effect, and in 2023 it was made a class C drug. | In 2016 it was made illegal to supply or import nitrous oxide if it was likely to be consumed for its psychoactive effect, and in 2023 it was made a class C drug. |
| The court heard the gang imported 91,350,000 canisters into the country in two years after the ban came into place. | The court heard the gang imported 91,350,000 canisters into the country in two years after the ban came into place. |
| Investigators say the men laundered £16.7m through a series of bogus catering companies | Investigators say the men laundered £16.7m through a series of bogus catering companies |
| The trio created companies alluding to the catering industry, such as Worldwide Coffee Traders Ltd, Catering Pantry International Ltd and Barista Distribution Ltd in a bid to cover their tracks, police said. | The trio created companies alluding to the catering industry, such as Worldwide Coffee Traders Ltd, Catering Pantry International Ltd and Barista Distribution Ltd in a bid to cover their tracks, police said. |
| Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU) found their sole trade was in nitrous oxide. | Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit (YHROCU) found their sole trade was in nitrous oxide. |
| Investigators discovered more than £16.7m was deposited into the firm's accounts, more than £12m of which was deposited in cash. | Investigators discovered more than £16.7m was deposited into the firm's accounts, more than £12m of which was deposited in cash. |
| Ramona Senior, head of operations at YHROCU, said: "This was an organised enterprise whose sole purpose was importing a psychoactive substance into the UK to be used illegally. | Ramona Senior, head of operations at YHROCU, said: "This was an organised enterprise whose sole purpose was importing a psychoactive substance into the UK to be used illegally. |
| "Despite it being made illegal, this group continued to trade in nitrous oxide while fully knowing its ultimate use was to be sold as a drug." | "Despite it being made illegal, this group continued to trade in nitrous oxide while fully knowing its ultimate use was to be sold as a drug." |
| The gang imported lorry loads of laughing gas canisters into the UK | The gang imported lorry loads of laughing gas canisters into the UK |
| She added: "They made vast profits from their activities and structured their businesses in a way that tried to conceal their activities and to launder their ill-gotten income." | She added: "They made vast profits from their activities and structured their businesses in a way that tried to conceal their activities and to launder their ill-gotten income." |
| Messen, of South Farm Drive, Skellow, was jailed for three years and six months after being convicted of conspiracy to import a psychoactive substance, money laundering and possessing criminal cash. | Messen, of South Farm Drive, Skellow, was jailed for three years and six months after being convicted of conspiracy to import a psychoactive substance, money laundering and possessing criminal cash. |
| Benjamin Richardson, of The Laurels, Barlby, was jailed for six years and two months after he was also found guilty of the same charges. | Benjamin Richardson, of The Laurels, Barlby, was jailed for six years and two months after he was also found guilty of the same charges. |
| Thomas Richardson, of Rosegarth, Barlby, was jailed for five years and eight months after being convicted of conspiracy to import a psychoactive substance and money laundering. | Thomas Richardson, of Rosegarth, Barlby, was jailed for five years and eight months after being convicted of conspiracy to import a psychoactive substance and money laundering. |
| Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North | Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North |