by To outside eyes, it was a ramshackle piece of land on the edge of Rochdale. And when the police began searching for something known as ‘The Pen’ in the summer of 2023, they didn’t quite know what was lurking beneath its surface.
Millions of pounds worth of drugs, a sawed-off shotgun, multiple rounds of ammunition, a revolver, as well as 800 parrots, mink, ferrets, Koi carp and a bull were discovered after a month-long search.
More than 50 officers were tasked with combing the complex on Dyehouse Lane.
A total of five firearms with ammunition and drugs including 10kg of amphetamines with a street value of £100,000, 99g of cannabis oil with a street value of £12,884, £57,000 of cannabis and £4,685 worth of cocaine were recovered from the property. .
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Zak Dearden, 36, was arrested before being charged with multiple offenses following the transport. Today, October 11, he was in prison for 10 years.
Alex Beevers, prosecuting, said that on July 27 last year officers attended the family’s home in Rochdale where there were containers and outbuildings. Over the next four weeks drugs, guns and chemicals were found.
“Officers found two plastic bags containing cannabis and six amphetamine bricks in a lifetime bag. The total weight of the amphetamine was just under six kilograms,” he said.
“The street value was £60,000. It was clear that amphetamines had been produced in a laboratory.”
Regarding the search, he said that an expert noted that he had not seen such a ‘very complex machine’ in 20 years of work. This included the size of the laboratory, the scale and the waste materials left behind.
Minshull Street Crown Court heard there were also live animals found. Dearden ran a pet shop with his father and as a result, officers found animals including mink, bull, ferrets, parrots, dogs, peacocks and Koi Carp.
They were left in the care of his father after his arrest, Greater Manchester Police have since confirmed.
Officers also found four kilograms of amphetamine in the boot of an Audi parked at the premises, a chemical laboratory used to make the drugs, cannabis oil, a heat sealing machine and a quantity of cocaine.
“Three days after the initial search, in the undergrowth behind the property, an officer found a self-loading Browning shotgun with a sawed-off barrel,” Mr. Beevers continued.
They continued to find cartridges that would be viable for use in the shotgun as well as handgun, revolver and other ammunition. A few days later they found another shotgun hidden in the Koi pond wall.
“A day later police searched the residences at the property and found drug paraphernalia and a gun including silencers, man-made bullets, a scope and a set of bows and arrows. There were also three air weapons, a gun bag, and additional rifles,” said the prosecutor.
In his police interview he made no comment, but initially suggested through a prepared statement that he had been threatened by some Scottish men to stash the drugs, but there was no evidence to support this, the court heard.
Dearden was said to have four convictions for eight offenses including possession of a firearm, wounding section 20 and witness intimidation.
Mitigating, Robert Smith said there was no evidence his client had a ‘sedentary lifestyle’.
“He was operating the pet shop, a business he was engaged in,” he said. Mr Smith also said the Pen didn’t belong to him, and a friend let him live there.
Dearden, of Dyehouse Lane, Rochdale, was jailed for 10 years. He previously pleaded guilty to; 13 reasons including being involved in the production of amphetamines; possession with intent to supply amphetamines; production of cannabis oil, possession of cocaine with intent to supply; possession of cannabis with intent to supply; possession of a firearm prohibited; converting an imitation firearm into a firearm; three counts of possession of a firearm when prohibited and three counts of possession of ammunition when prohibited.
A Hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act was set for February 10 next year. Detective Sergeant Steven Gilliland, from our Rochdale area, said: “This was a very challenging search and case. It took a month to fully search the site – the biggest search I’ve ever been involved in.
“I would like to thank our officers and partners who assisted with this investigation – chemical disposal experts had to dispose of the hazardous chemicals used by Dearden to produce the drugs.
“Words do not do justice to the scale of the land as well as the size and condition of the buildings that influenced the search. Our investigation turned up huge quantities of dangerous drugs, weapons and various animals living in appalling conditions.
“For example, we found 10 dogs living in what can only be described as their own poetry. Concerns were raised and attended by the RSPCA. All the dogs were removed from the kennels and other accommodation was found. I have to thank the Dog Trust at Denton for taking in two of the dogs and Leigh Dogs and Cats Home for taking in three.
“This operation resulted in the removal of threatening materials from the streets of Greater Manchester and today’s sentence puts a dangerous offender behind bars.”
