UK - Casey Hardison - 20-year Prison Sentence for LSD Manufacture

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Drugs manufacturer convicted

A court case involving one of the largest drug manufacturing operations ever uncovered by Sussex Police ended today.

Casey Hardison, a 33 year old American living near Brighton, was convicted on six counts following a two-month trial at Lewes Crown Court.

Hardison had denied manufacturing hallucinogenic drugs in a home-made laboratory he set up in a rented property in The Vale, Ovingdean.

Sentence has been adjourned until next month.

DC Neil Cuttriss, of Sussex Police Crime and Drug Unit, said afterwards: "The back bedroom of the property was entirely used as a laboratory for the production of drugs.

"The lab was capable of producing huge amounts of hallucinogenic drugs and was unusual in that Hardison had set it up for the simultaneous production of more than one drug.

"It was one of the most sophisticated and complex operations Sussex Police has seen.

He said it was an 'extremely complex' investigation involving many agencies, including police in the USA.

"We have prevented hundreds of thousands of doses of drugs being created and sold on the street."

Police seized 145,000 doses of LSD and a variety of other drugs in small amounts.

Other substances were seized that could make up to 350,000 doses of other drugs.

DCI Peter Laverick from Sussex Police Operations and Intelligence Branch said: "Sussex Police is in the business of tackling crime locally, as well as tackling crime at a more serious and organised level.

"We will pursue criminals such as Casey Hardison and seize the profits they make. Hardison manufactured simulated drugs for profit regardless of the harm they cause and the potential risk to lives of others.


http://www.sussex.police.uk/news_fee...uniqueid=12488