A man from Salford who was part of an organised crime gang manufacturing millions of pounds worth of drugs on an “industrial scale” has been jailed for nine years, along with his lottery-winning dad.
John Colin Spiby Jr, 37, of Britannia Street in Pendleton, was one of four men handed prison sentences totalling 47 years for producing counterfeit diazepam tablets containing etizolam – a banned depressant more potent than Valium – and firearms offences.
He denied conspiring to supply class C drugs, but was found guilty after a trial in November 2025.
On Wednesday morning, the court heard that between November 2021 and May 2022, an investigation was launched following evidence obtained by police operation Venetic, which infiltrated encrypted communications platforms.
During the investigation, officers estimated that the group produced counterfeit tablets with a bulk value of between £7.2m and £12.9m, and a potential street value ranging from £57.6m to £288m.
His father, John Eric Spiby Sr, was jailed for 16 and a half years for conspiracy to produce and supply Class C drugs, two counts of possessing a firearm, possession of ammunition, and perverting the course of justice.
He denied the offences but was also found guilty after a trial in November 2025.
Spiby Sr won an eye-watering £2.4 million on the national lottery in 2010 and used the funds to build the multimillion drug empire.
But officers caught on as the operation grew. The group was placed under surveillance, with officers identifying several key properties being used to carry out their illegal activities.
A cottage located behind Spiby Sr’s home was discovered to contain an industrial scale tablet manufacturing set-up capable of producing tens of thousands of tablets per hour.
Spiby Sr also purchased an industrial unit on Albion Street in Swinton in 2021 to expand the group’s drug production capacity.
The father and son duo have been jailed alongside two other criminals involved in the operation.
Callum Dorian, 35, of Guilford Road, Eccles, received a 12‑year prison sentence in September 2024 for conspiracy to supply firearms and conspiracy to produce and supply Class C drugs.
Lee Ryan Drury, 45, of Hassall Street, Stalybridge, pleaded guilty midway through the trial to conspiracy to produce and supply Class C drugs and has been jailed for nine years and nine months.
Detective Inspector Alex Brown, from our Serious Organised Crime Group, hailed the conviction of the four men.
DI Brown said: “These four individuals showed absolutely no regard for human life or public safety. All they were interested in was lining their own pockets with significant financial gain.
“They operated a fully industrialised drug‑manufacturing business capable of producing millions of counterfeit tablets containing a highly dangerous substance. The volume of tablets we recovered – along with the sophisticated machinery – demonstrated how deeply embedded this group was in the illicit drug supply chain.
“Alongside the drug production, this group was also linked to the supply of a range of deadly firearms, including automatic weapons and ammunition.
“This potentially deadly combination presented a serious threat to communities not just in Greater Manchester but across the country and beyond.
“The sentences should serve as a clear warning – organised crime will not be tolerated.
“We will continue to pursue those who seek to profit from harm, and we will use every power and tool available to disrupt and dismantle serious organised crime gangs.”
