When pensioner John Spiby spent hours tinkering in the sheds and outbuildings behind his picturesque rural cottage, his elderly wife assumed he was simply enjoying typical retirement hobbies. However, the 80-year-old was secretly orchestrating a vast counterfeit pharmaceuticals operation worth an estimated £288 million, using his substantial lottery winnings as seed capital.
The rural facade hiding an industrial operation
Residents of Astley, near Wigan in Greater Manchester, remained completely unaware of the sophisticated drug manufacturing facility operating behind the frosted windows and garage doors of converted stables on Spiby's property. The only subtle indication of newfound wealth was the brief appearance of a red Lamborghini on the driveway, which neighbours dismissed as a pensioner's indulgence rather than evidence of criminal enterprise.
The £600,000 red brick house sits comfortably on a quiet country lane, presenting an image of respectable retirement. Yet drone images reveal a long driveway leading to a cluster of converted stables where Spiby established what police would later describe as a "very sophisticated and very significant" conspiracy.
A 'Breaking Bad' operation without the desperation
Unlike the fictional Walter White from the Netflix series Breaking Bad, who turned to drug manufacturing out of financial desperation after a cancer diagnosis, Spiby embarked on his criminal enterprise from a position of considerable wealth. After winning £2.5 million on the lottery at age 65, instead of enjoying a comfortable retirement, he purchased the cottage and invested in high-spec machinery capable of producing tens of thousands of counterfeit diazepam tablets per hour.
Prosecutors warned that desperate users purchasing these pills at 65p each were playing "Russian roulette" with their lives, noting an increase in drug-related deaths in the area. The scale of the operation was described by the judge as "truly horrifying," with potential street values ranging from £57.6 million to £288 million.
Sophisticated network and encrypted communications
Spiby didn't work alone. Alongside his 36-year-old son, also named John, and two associates, he established a second drug factory in Salford to flood streets with what authorities called "unregulated, unlicensed and unchecked" medications. The group communicated via Encrochat, the sophisticated encrypted network often dubbed "Gangster's WhatsApp," where Spiby once boasted to accomplices: "Elon and Jeff better watch their backs," referencing billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos.
When police finally swooped on a hired van, they discovered 2.6 million counterfeit diazepam tablets with a street value reaching £5.2 million. Subsequent raids uncovered three firearms with ammunition, substantial cash reserves, and industrial tablet manufacturing equipment.
The perfect camouflage in plain sight
Clover Cottage provided ideal camouflage for the operation, tucked away amid trees and bushes on a road where parking was impossible, ensuring minimal observation. The semi-agricultural and industrial character of the area, with legitimate businesses dealing in animal feed, waste management, timber, and equestrian services, meant that traffic generated by the drug operation blended seamlessly with normal commercial activity.
A local farmer explained to reporters: "It's an absolutely perfect spot for him. No-one would have guessed there was a drug factory in there. The fact that lorries go up and down here all the time meant he could move all the drug moving machinery in and no-one would bat an eyelid."
Neighbours expressed shock upon learning the truth, with one stating: "Normally a bird crossing the road is the only excitement around here but all of a sudden it was if every police officer around was here. We were all shocked. After all, he's a pensioner. You would not think Breaking Bad was happening down these country lanes."
Family deception and sentencing
Most tragically, Spiby's 79-year-old wife Patricia remained completely unaware of her husband's activities, believing he was simply "pottering around out the back like most old blokes do." A neighbour revealed: "She had no idea. This has crushed her."
This week, Honorary Recorder for Bolton Judge Nicholas Clarke KC jailed Spiby for 16 years and six months, stating: "Despite your lottery win you continued to live a life of crime beyond what would normally have been your retirement years." His son received a nine-year sentence, while associates Lee Drury, 45, and Callum Dorrian, 35, were also imprisoned for their roles in the conspiracy.
The case serves as a startling reminder that criminal enterprises can flourish in the most unlikely settings, with one neighbour reflecting: "He has been here around 15 years along with other members of his family. I thought he was a respectable bloke despite the rumours. It just shows you how wrong you can be."
