Lottery Winner Built £288M Drugs Empire From Rural Cottage

An 80-year-old pensioner, John Spiby, who won £2.5 million on the lottery in 2010, secretly established a vast drug empire valued at up to £288 million. Instead of retiring, Spiby used his winnings to construct a sophisticated, industrial-scale facility behind his rural cottage in Astley, near Wigan, Greater Manchester. This operation churned out counterfeit diazepam tablets at an astonishing rate, with police estimating the potential street value to range from £57.6 million to £288 million.

The conspiracy, described as 'very sophisticated and very significant,' also involved Spiby's son and two associates, who operated a second drug factory in Salford. The gang utilized the encrypted Encrochat network for communication, where Spiby reportedly joked about billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. When authorities raided the premises, they discovered high-spec machinery, millions of counterfeit tablets, three firearms with ammunition, and significant amounts of cash.

Residents in the quiet village were largely unaware of the illicit activities, believing Spiby was merely enjoying his retirement. The discovery of the drug operation, with its scale and the perpetrator's age, drew comparisons to the television series 'Breaking Bad.' The judge presiding over the case described the operation as 'truly horrifying' and sentenced Spiby to 16 years and six months in prison.