R -v -RB – Hull Crown Court. [Operation Campden].  Represented RB in a multi hander conspiracy to supply Class A drugs in a major drugs operation with a value of over £4 million involving ENCROCHAT under the National Crime Agency’s Operation Venetic. The allegation was that a Manchester based Serious Organised Crime Group conspired together to arrange and deliver large Multi Kilo amounts of Cocaine targeting Hull, Manchester and Liverpool. The complex investigation involved EncroChat data that had been obtained by the National Crime Agency, cell site data, mobile phone attributions and CCTV footage. The case attracted national media coverage and appeared on National News.

R -v -AL & Others – Snaresbrook Crown Court. Operation Serious. Adam Law Solicitors represented AL concerning conspiracy to possess an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and conspiracy to possess a firearm without holding a current firearm certificate as well as the supply of Class A drugs. The evidence relied upon was obtained by police involving EncroChat following a UK National Crime Agency operation known as Operation Venetic. That operation used a French/Dutch developed implant to collect data from what had been previously considered to a secure EncroChat messaging system. In order for one user of EncroChat to communicate successfully with another user they must know the unique user identification, or “ handle” of that person. As part of his defence, the defendant denied attribution to the encrypted device and also denied being a user of the device. AT TRIAL AL WAS ACQUITTED OF ALL CHARGES.

R -v -JO – Snaresbrook Crown Court. Represented JO who had been charged with several counts of Possession with Intent to Supply Class A drugs and Being concerned in supply Class A drugs. JO was previously represented by another firm of solicitors who had advised him to plead Guilty to the charges. He was looking at a 7-year Prison sentence. After transferring the case, Adam Law Solicitors successfully applied to the court to vacate JO’s previous plea of Guilty to that of Not Guilty raising the defence of Modern Slavery. The modern slavery defence under s.45 Modern Slavery Act 2015 was raised. As part of the defence case, Adam Law Solicitors instructed a modern slavery expert who concluded JO was a victim of human trafficking in the form of child criminal exploitation which continued into his young adulthood and was forced into criminality. JO had been recruited by an organised criminal group at a young age and pro-actively targeted by the criminal group due to his significant vulnerabilities. JO had also been referred to the Single Competent Authority known as an NRM referral which provided a conclusive grounds decision that JO was a victim of Modern Slavery. The defence raised that gangs often can use coercive methods in order to recruit young local men to become involved in their activities, including dealing drugs on their behalf. These methods can include the use of pressure, threats and physical violence. Gangs will often use methods to pressure people into working for them by claiming that those people owe them a debt. AT TRIAL THE CPS DROPPED THE CHARGES.

R -v -NH – Derby Crown Court. Operation Hornet. Represented MH in a multi hander involving fourteen defendants conspiracy to supply Class A drugs namely cocaine following a complex investigation. The conspiracy span over 72 weeks involving high-volume supply of high purity cocaine in Sheffield and Chesterfield. During the investigation the police seized almost 20 kilos of cocaine valued at £1.2 Million ( although the Crown alleged the level of dealing involved 75 Kilos) and £1.2 Million in cash. The 12 weeks long trial attracted widespread media coverage.

R -v -MW – Leeds Crown Court. Operation Enddale. Represented MW in a multi hander involving twelve defendants Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs namely cocaine and Heroin in West and North Yorkshire. The complex investigation involved covert surveillance, phone communications and cell site evidence. MW defence was that he was a drug user rather than a dealer. VERDICT – NOT GUILTY OF ALL CHARGES

R -v -LM – Nottingham Crown Court. Operation Blazestone. Represented LM in a multi hander conspiracy to produce and supply large scale of class A drugs namely heroin and cocaine and Class B drugs across the Midlands involving 22 defendants. The complex investigation involved surveillance and observation evidence, search evidence, telecoms evidence, namely communications and cell site evidence. The case attracted national media coverage.

R -v -MA – Sheffield Crown Court. Operation River. Represented MA in a multi hander conspiracy to supply Class A drugs namely Diamorphine and cocaine involving the main drug dealing line in Sheffield. The complex investigation involved telecoms evidence, namely telecommunications data. The modern slavery defence under s.45 Modern Slavery Act 2015 was raised. As part of the defence case, Adam Law Solicitors instructed a modern slavery expert who concluded was a victim of modern slavery: deprivation of liberty and forced labour who suffered both physical and psychological abuse. The case attracted national media coverage.

R -v -DG – Woodgreen Crown Court. Represented DG in a multi hander being concerned in supply of Class A drugs. The modern slavery defence under s.45 Modern Slavery Act 2015 was raised. As part of the defence case, Adam Law Solicitors instructed a modern slavery expert who concluded DG was a victim of human trafficking in the form of child criminal exploitation which continued into his young adulthood and forced into criminality. The defence raised that gangs often can use coercive methods in order to recruit young local men to become involved in their activities, including dealing drugs on their behalf. These methods can include the use of pressure, threats and physical violence. Gangs will often can use methods to pressure people into working for them by claiming that those people owe them a debt. DG was acquitted of all charges. 

R -v -HK – Manchester Crown Court. Operation Gamber. Represented HK in a multi hander conspiracy to supply class A drugs namely heroin and cocaine across the North West and Midlands involving 16 defendants involved in a large-scale narcotic distribution group. 90,000 pages of evidence were served. The investigation was led by Greater Manchester Police Serious and Organised Crime Group unit. The case was widely reported in the media.

R -v- DG – Manchester Crown Court. Operation Cosmetic. represented DG in a multi hander and multi-million-pound conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to produce 300kg of amphetamine involving national distribution of drugs. The case attracted national media coverage. 

R -v -MR – Sheffield Crown Court. Adam Law Solicitors secured the acquittal of the defendant in a multi hander Possession with Intent to Supply Class A drugs namely heroin and crack cocaine. It was MR defence that she was a victim of Modern Slavery.

R-v- MM – Sheffield Crown Court. Represented MM in a multi hander conspiracy to produce class B drugs. We successfully made an application to dismiss against MM.

R-v- AW – Sheffield Crown Court. Represented a client in a multi hander conspiracy to supply class B drugs. AW was acquitted.

R -v -KO – York Crown Court. Operation Crib. Represented KO in a multi hander conspiracy to supply Class A drugs namely Heroin and cocaine through a County Line operating between South, West and North Yorkshire. The complex and lucrative drug operation involved over 1400 deals during the conspiracy period. After successful representations, the defendant was spared a prison sentence. The case attracted media coverage.

R -v -MA – Derby Crown Court. Operation Jeleco. Represented MA in a multi hander involving eight defendants conspiracy to supply Class A drugs namely Heroin and crack cocaine through a County Line operating from Sheffield to Derby. The supply of these drugs into Derby was facilitated by the provision by the group of two so called County Line telephone numbers which users and potential buyers could use as their point of contact to arrange the purchase of their chosen drug in their chosen quantities. The Defence put forward a Basis of Plea leading to MA receiving a far lenient sentence.

R – v – HD . Sheffield Crown Court. Represented HD in a drug cultivation matter involving Class B (Cannabis) drugs with a street value of over £800,000. The court heard how this was a very sophisticated cannabis production set up indicative of a highly professional industrial scale cannabis factory and implemented as part of an organised crime group. The defendant pleaded on the basis he had arrived into the UK in a lorry two weeks prior to his arrest on the promise of legitimate work, he effectively acted as a gardener and was not involved in the operational or management of the premises nor was he involved in the setting up of the cannabis. It was successfully argued that the defendant played a lesser role within the sentencing guidelines. The case attracted media interest.

R -v -SH – Manchester Crown Court. Represented SH in a multi hander involving  Firearms, ammunition and Possession with Intent to Supply Class A drugs namely heroin and cocaine across Greater Manchester. During the trial, we produced a vital piece of evidence, namely a Psychological report based on the defendant’s very low IQ level. The case attracted media interest

R – v – CC . Leeds Crown Court. Represented CC in a drug cultivation matter involving production of 171 cannabis plants having a street value of £90,000. The court heard how this was a very sophisticated cannabis production set up and implemented as part of an organised crime group. CC was spared a prison sentence.

R-v- IE. Sheffield Crown Court. Represented IE where he was tried for possession with intent to supply class A drugs involving a significant amount of  cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin. The case attracted media interest.

R-v- DC. Sheffield Crown Court. Represented DC where he was tried for possession with intent to supply class A drugs including crack cocaine and heroin. The case attracted media interest.

R-v- PB. Sheffield Crown Court. Represented PB where he was tried for possession with intent to supply class A drugs, namely heroin. The defendant denied intention to supply. It was the defendant’s case that he had lent his mobile phone to a friend from which the supply took place. The Prosecution withdrew the charge.

R – v – AG . Leeds Crown Court. Represented AG in a drug cultivation matter and Possession with Intent to Supply Class B drugs. AG was spared a prison sentence.