John Anslow, 33, from Tipton, was sentenced in September 2012 to 22 years in prison for conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis, convicted in his absence while on the run.[1][2][3] He led a UK-wide gang distributing large quantities of cocaine and cannabis.[1][2][3] The network distributed drugs across the country from a Tipton base.[1] He was sentenced alongside seven others for large-scale drug supply.[4] His later appeal described concurrent terms for cocaine supply and for cannabis supply.[5]
Police in Liverpool uncovered the operation in February 2011 when officers found cannabis resin worth £1.1 million at a lock-up in Formby.[6] Police had uncovered the network after bugging his Bradley flat in December 2010 and January 2011.[1] When they raided the flat they found a Rolex watch and evidence of a luxury lifestyle.[1] A joint Staffordshire and West Midlands police investigation uncovered the extensive dealing network based in the West Midlands but spread further afield.[4]
On 23 January 2012 Anslow was sprung from a prison van while held over a murder case.[1] He spent 13 months on the run in northern Cyprus, held over immigration offences before deportation to the UK.[1] He fled to Cyprus and was on the run until March of last year, when he was arrested on immigration offences and deported back to the UK.[4] Reporting restrictions were then lifted, revealing that he was serving a 22-year drug-trafficking sentence alongside a further term for the escape.[4]
