Published on: February 2, 2026, 08:30h.
Updated on: February 2, 2026, 08:32h.
- Lottery jackpot funded large-scale counterfeit Valium production
- Millions of bogus pills containing etizolam inundated the illegal drug market
- EncroChat communications unveiled operation involving father, son, and armed associates
An elderly British lottery winner, who channeled his £2.4 million (around US$3.3 million) lottery gain into establishing a $400 million counterfeit pharmaceutical operation, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.
John Eric Spiby, aged 80, transformed his rural cottage near Bolton, northwest England, into an “industrial-grade tablet production facility capable of generating tens of thousands of tablets each hour,” as reported by Greater Manchester Police.
Collaborating with his son, John Colin Spiby, and two other accomplices, Spiby inundated the illegal drug market with counterfeit Valium pills infused with etizolam. Although prescribed for insomnia and anxiety in some countries, etizolam is illegal in both the UK and the US due to its potential to severely depress the central nervous system, resulting in unconsciousness, respiratory failure, or even death.
Fortune to Felony
The 80-year-old criminal, who struck it rich in the UK National Lottery around 2010 at the age of 65, was identified as the mastermind behind the operation and possessed a “substantial” criminal history, as stated in court documents.
The four men faced multiple charges including conspiracy to produce and supply Class C drugs, conspiracy to supply firearms, possession of weapons and ammunition, as well as obstructing justice; however, one gang member, Lee Drury, admitted guilt during the trial.
The scheme was unraveled after French authorities intercepted encrypted messages on EncroChat, a messaging platform often dubbed the “criminals’ WhatsApp,” which was compromised by a widespread police operation in 2020.
British police then conducted surveillance on the group, leading to a raid of a rented van where they discovered 2.6 million counterfeit tablets with an estimated street value of up to £5.2 million (US$7 million). They also executed search warrants at various locations, confiscating firearms, ammunition, cash, and industrial-grade tablet production equipment.
Authorities estimated the worth of the drugs manufactured by the gang to reach a staggering £288 million ($400 million).
Criminal Lifestyle
“In spite of your lottery winnings, you persisted in your criminal lifestyle beyond what would typically be considered retirement age,” remarked Judge Nicholas Clarke of Bolton Crown Court to Spiby prior to sentencing.
Spiby Jr. received a nine-year prison sentence. The two accomplices, Callum Dorian and Drury, were sentenced to nine and 12 years, respectively.
“These four individuals demonstrated a complete lack of consideration for human lives or public safety,” stated Detective Inspector Alex Brown from Greater Manchester Police’s Serious Organized Crime Group. “All that mattered to them was enriching themselves financially.”