Ten individuals have been sentenced to a combined total of more than 48 years in prison following a major investigation into a multimillion-pound counterfeit drug network operating on the dark web. The case, initially sparked by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, revealed an industrial-scale operation producing fake Xanax pills with dangerous dosages.
How the Network Was Exposed
In January 2018, Pfizer Ltd launched an investigation after discovering darknet vendors—using aliases such as ‘Milkman11new’ and ‘UKBK’—selling counterfeit versions of Xanax, a medication once manufactured by the company. Test purchases confirmed the pills were fake and contained potentially harmful levels of Alprazolam.
Pfizer then collaborated with West Midlands Police, who took over the case in 2019 as part of a broader crackdown on dark web drug trafficking. Investigators traced shipments, cryptocurrency transactions (mainly Bitcoin), and uncovered four industrial pill presses capable of producing 10,000 tablets per hour.
Raids and Shocking Discoveries
Police raids in Wednesbury, Tipton, and Wolverhampton exposed the scale of the operation:
- A Wednesbury property had thousands of counterfeit pills being heat-sealed for distribution.
- A Tipton garden shed contained an industrial powder mixer and drying unit, with surfaces coated in pink and white powder—evidence of mass pill production.
- A Wolverhampton site housed a pill press, metal casts, and a handwritten “recipe” for the fake drugs.
Authorities also found that the group had imported over two tonnes of bulking agents from China, along with Alprazolam and its analogue, Adinazolam. The counterfeit pills were shipped globally, including to Europe and the US.
Sentencing and Reactions
Eight defendants pleaded guilty, while two were convicted after trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court. The ringleader, Brian Pitts (30, Wednesbury), received eight years, while others, including Lee Lloyd (48, Brierley Hill) and Mark Bayley (63, Wolverhampton), were handed sentences ranging from two to seven years.
Patrick Holt, Director of Global Security at Pfizer, praised the joint effort:
“We’re proud of our role in ensuring these criminals faced justice. Our work protects public health by stopping dangerous counterfeit drugs.”
Detective Inspector Hinesh Mehta, who led the investigation, added:
“This was a highly sophisticated operation producing millions of fake pills. The sentences reflect the severity of their crimes.”
The case highlights the growing threat of dark web drug networks and the importance of cross-agency collaboration in dismantling them.
