‘Young men can be quite stupid’: Shropshire village drugs gang sentenced – including dealer found with machetes and pics of ‘wads of cash’

Shrewsbury Crown Court, sitting at Telford Justice Centre, heard how the trio Benjamin Shannon, Jakub Molenda, and Harry Taylor, had been operating in the quiet Shropshire village of Prees in 2019 and 2020.

Shannon, 24, of Mill Street, Prees, was found guilty of three charges after a trial. They included two counts of being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug of class B, relating to cannabis and ketamine, as well as one count of acquiring, using, or possessing criminal property.

Molenda, 23, of Wayland Road, Whitchurch, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply a controlled drug of class B, and two counts of being concerned in the supply of a controlled drug of Class B – with the charges relating to cannabis and ketamine.

Taylor, 26, of Whitchurch Road, Prees, previously admitted two counts of possession of a controlled drug of class B with intent to supply – both relating to cannabis.

Andrew Baker, prosecuting, said that on August 3, 2021, police had stopped a BMW being driven by Taylor, with Molenda as a passenger, when it was travelling through Prees.

Officers discovered two large bags of cannabis in the vehicle, before a search of Molenda revealed a bag of ketamine.

Police then found a further amount of cannabis – 174g –  in Taylor’s bedroom, while a ‘substantial amount of ketamine’ was found in Molenda’s bedroom at a property for which he held the key.

A mobile phone seized from Molenda revealed messages indicating dealing of ketamine and cannabis over a two-month period.

Mr Baker said that officers then continued the investigation by proceeding to search the property of Shannon at Mill Street.

The raid uncovered £1,675 in cash as well as ketamine and cannabis.

Also recovered from the property were two machetes and three mobile phones.