How did John Spiby fund his diazepam drug empire?

It is believed that John Spiby used some of his £2.4 million lottery winnings from 2010 to fund his illicit diazepam drug operation.

What did police find at John Spiby's home?

Police discovered an industrial-scale tablet manufacturing setup capable of producing tens of thousands of counterfeit diazepam tablets per hour.

What was the sentence for John Spiby?

John Spiby was sentenced to 16 years and six months in prison for his role in the conspiracy to produce and supply diazepam.

Home / Crime and Justice / Lottery Winner's Secret £288m Diazepam Empire Revealed

Lottery Winner's Secret £288m Diazepam Empire Revealed

7 Feb

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Summary

Lottery winner ran a £288m diazepam drug empire from his home.
Police discovered an industrial-scale tablet manufacturing setup.
Spiby was jailed for 16 years and six months for his crimes.

Lottery Winner's Secret £288m Diazepam Empire Revealed

John Spiby, an 80-year-old lottery winner, was revealed to be the mastermind behind a vast £288 million diazepam drug empire. Neighbors in Wigan, Greater Manchester, were shocked when police raided his country cottage in May 2022, uncovering a sophisticated, industrial-scale tablet manufacturing operation hidden in his triple garage. Spiby, who won £2.4 million in 2010, had apparently used some of his winnings to fund this illicit venture, drawing parallels to the popular series 'Breaking Bad'.

Greater Manchester Police found the facility capable of producing tens of thousands of counterfeit diazepam tablets per hour. The gang, including Spiby's son and two associates, also operated a second drug factory in nearby Salford. Surveillance led to the seizure of 2.6 million fake diazepam pills, valued at £5.2 million, along with firearms and ammunition. Detectives estimate the total street value of the counterfeit tablets produced could range from £58 million to £288 million.