Tanweer Razak, 28, Piotr Izbicki, 26, Rukhsar Bashier, 34, and Ajaz Arif, 33, are accused of running four cannabis factories in Middlesbrough,

Tanweer Razak, 28, Piotr Izbicki, 26, Rukhsar Bashier, 34, and Ajaz Arif, 33, are accused of running four cannabis factories in Middlesbrough, after more than 1,100 plants were seized in a series of raids at four addresses in the town in October last year.Razak, of Elm Park, West Reading, Bashier of Brooker’s Hill, Shinfield, and Arif and Izbicki, both of Basingstoke Road, Whitley, have all denied conspiring to produce cannabis at the two-week long trial at Teesside Crown Court.Sarah Mallett, prosecuting, said the properties were bought to set up sophisticated factories which suggested commercial cultivation and national distribution of the drug.
Defence barristers made closing speeches on Thursday, saying there was a lack of evidence of knowledge or agreement in a conspiracy, or linking the accused to the cannabis.Taxi driver Razak is alleged to be the unscrupulous, money-motivated “mastermind” or “top man”. His counsel, Caroline Goodwin, said if he was the brains of the outfit, he did it in “the most cack-handed way”. The Crown says Izbicki acted as a go-between and was heavily involved in the day-to-day management of the properties. His barrister David Lamb said the builder was just a worker who thought he was doing a fair day’s work “in the wrong place at the wrong time”.
One “Mr Tai” was said to be “a dark figure lurking behind the conspiracy” who exerted a grip on others, threatened Izbicki and abused Arif’s trust.
The prosecution said Arif bought all four homes in 2007. Arif said he knew nothing of the cannabis production until he was arrested. Peter Sabiston, defending Arif, said he was “given a few bob to tell a few white lies on a mortgage application form and ask no further questions”. It is alleged Bashier was an investor financing the illicit enterprise. Stan Reiz, for Bashier, said he was a credible, respectable, successful businessman and the only evidence against him was five banker’s drafts said to be deposits for the properties. Judge Michael Taylor is to sum up the case against the four today and the jury is due to be sent out. On the judge’s direction earlier in the trial, the jury acquitted a fifth defendant, Tokeer Akhtar, 27, of Elm Park, West Reading.

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