A fake Xanax gang made pills in sheds and made millions

A drug gang manufactured millions of counterfeit Xanax pills in garden sheds and garages and sold them to customers across the UK and US.

The group, from across the West Midlands region of England, included extended family and friends who sold more than £4m of fake pills on the so-called dark web.

They were brought to justice after a five-year international investigation, with two members sentenced earlier on Wednesday.

Eight members of the group, including suspected ringleaders Brian Pitts, 29, and Katie Harlow, 26, have previously pleaded guilty to a range of charges.

Brian Pitts, of Lane Street, Bilston, organized the marketing and online sales from a luxury villa in Thailand, supported by his partner Harlow, the West Midlands Regional Organized Crime Unit (ROCU) believes.

At Wolverhampton Crown Court, previously 25-year-old Jordan Pitts was convicted of all the charges he faced. A tenth member of the gang, Bladen Roper, 24, was found guilty of one and cleared of another.

ROCU said the group made “staggering” money through online sales in 2018 and 2019.

The proceeds were laundered through cryptocurrency, primarily bitcoin, the court said.

In 2019, a fake Xanax factory was discovered in Windsor Road, Tipton, and a second manufacturing plant in a garage in Jeremy Road, Wolverhampton.

Forensic evidence found at the scene indicated a large production of alprazolam, the drug in Xanax, possibly at a rate of 10,000 pills per hour.

A few months earlier, Xanax maker Pfizer had launched its own investigation into the sale of counterfeits by making test purchases.

It was possible to show that the parcels were distributed through post offices throughout the Black Country.

ROCU carried out coordinated raids and made several arrests.

“It was all just done for profit,” said Det Insp Dave Hollies from ROCU.

“They thought, ‘How can we tangibly turn the amount of money we’re spending to get alprazolam, a bulking agent and presses, into as much money as possible?’

“And the sum was charming.

Police say Brian Pitts quickly grew his illegal business and may have been in contact with other international drug supply chains.

Roper, of Powis Avenue, and Jordan Pitts, of Hickman Avenue, faced a three-week trial.

Prosecutors said they packed and shipped the packages abroad, with Roper acting as a courier.

Roper told the court he weighed and sifted through the “raw” Alprazolam, but at the time thought it was protein powder.

Others who pleaded guilty to charges targeting the supply of Class C drugs, money laundering and infringement of Pfizer’s Xanax and Greenstone trademarks are:

A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Xanax is a powerful sedative used to treat anxiety and panic attacks. It is not available on the NHS but can be obtained in the UK by private prescription.

Jenny Josephs, prosecuting, said the group worked together to manufacture and supply fake versions using chemical powder and pressing them into tablets using drug presses which were bought legally from a company in Oxfordshire.

The BBC has identified a number of websites that are legally selling medicine presses and filler for several thousand pounds.

Jurors heard the gang were able to pay for the machines in cash and go and collect them at a company in Bicester.

“It’s probably a bit of willful blindness,” Mr Hollies said.

“I don’t think there’s anything particularly nefarious about it, but I think those involved in the distribution and production of presses and filler should certainly be asking more questions.”

Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine drug commonly prescribed to treat anxiety and insomnia.

Improper use can cause excessive sedation, collapse and overdose.

Since 2022, police forces in England and Wales have seen a 120% increase in seizures of counterfeit “street petrol”.

Alistair Bryant, a content creator from Stourbridge who has a history of using counterfeit Xanax, is calling for more checks to reduce the impact of black market sales.

“Maybe doctors should take back some of the prescribing of these drugs [Xanax] reduce the importance of illicit trade in this situation,” he said.

“Young people can afford these counterfeit drugs because they’re the cheapest they’ve ever been… and unfortunately the highest risk they’ve ever been.”

Illegal alprazolam can contain other unknown and potentially harmful sedative drugs and has been linked to a number of deaths in the UK and US when mixed with other powerful drugs.

The UK’s Health Safety Agency said there was evidence that “use is a growing problem, particularly among young people and young adults”.

Cranstoun, a harm reduction charity in the Black Country, has issued guidance for people taking Xanax and other benzodiazepines on how to do so safely.

“Counterfeit drugs are usually much more effective and stronger than the drugs they are claimed to be,” says Chris Rentoul, head of harm reduction.

He said another drug, a powerful synthetic opioid called nitazene, had also caused fatal overdoses in the UK, including in the Birmingham area last summer.

Patrick Holt, Global Security Director at Pfizer, said: “We are proud of the role we have played alongside the authorities to ensure these serious criminals are brought to justice.

“We have dedicated time, resources and expertise to ensure that these illegal counterfeiting activities are prevented in order to protect public health.”