How brutal cannabis farm raiders terrorised and injured innocent people before crossbow killings
A judge praised the team of detectives for their tireless work on a burglary conspiracy which only ended when two men were killed.
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In their quest for a big pay day from cannabis factory raids, the organised and co-ordinated gang also terrorised innocent householders who were attacked when their homes were broken into in early morning raids, leaving a trail of injuries and destruction.
The conspiracy finally ended in bloodshed when one of their own and another man lost their lives after being shot by crossbow shooter Saghawat Ramzan outside a £250,000 cannabis farm operating in Pensnett Road in Brierley Hill near Dudley on February 20, 2020.
After sentencing 15 defendants Judge Jonathan Gosling praised West Midlands Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford and the team of detectives whom he said "tirelessly worked" to bringing the gang to justice.
Judge Gosling said: "This prosecution involves targeted attacks on dwelling houses which it was assumed by these defendants were being used to grow cannabis. They were right in some, but not all, of the properties burgled.
"The raids, which occurred on three separate nights, resulted in grievous injury to completely innocent householders and the deaths of two men, one of their own number, and a second man who was involved in a violent effort to protect the crop.
"Two of the defendants I have to sentence were involved on all three nights, involving attacks on five houses on the first night one house on the second night and two houses on the third night. Those are the defendants Mbugoniwia and Parkins.
