Bailiffs were called in to change the locks on the industrial unit leading police to the drug factory
Ihtiandr Maciulevicius and Barry Burke(Image: Merseyside Police)
An “industrial scale” drugs factory was discovered when the gang behind the operation stopped paying their rent. Police stumbled across the facility, which was capable of producing tens of thousands of ecstasy tablets, after the leased unit was repossessed by bailiffs due to “irregular” payments from the organised crime group.
Enquiries subsequently revealed that Ihtiandr Maciulevicius had been all but living at the premises while “getting his hands dirty”, with his slippers and dressing gown even being recovered from inside. The fingerprints of a second man, Barry Burke, were meanwhile discovered on commercial use machinery which had been utilised as part of the £230,000 plot.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, that the industrial unit in question, on Cleveland Street in Birkenhead, was leased out to a man under the name of Tommy Ellis on October 13 2023 at a rent of £583.33 per month. However, these payments “became irregular”, leading to bailiffs being called out and changing the locks on January 2 this year.
Graham Pickavance, prosecuting, described how the property’s manager then visited the premises on January 13 and found a large quantity of drug paraphernalia inside. Police thereafter attended and discovered a “large scale operation” involved in the production of ecstasy tablets.
This included the use of an industrial press ordinarily used by companies in the pharmaceuticals industry. Experts subsequently estimated that the 3kg of MDMA powder seized from the unit would be capable of producing 23,400 ecstasy tablets with the use of such equipment, class A drugs worth up to £234,000.
While CCTV footage at the site was only available dating as far back as December 12 2024, Maciulevicius was captured in attendance at the premises on several occasions over the course of the following month. Videos showed the 22-year-old, of no fixed address, handing packages and rucksacks to visitors, while he was also appeared to have slept inside overnight at times.
Both Maciulevicius and a third defendant, Farris Thomas, were meanwhile seen attending the unit on January 2 in the latter’s Peugeot van and taking pictures of a repossession notice left behind by the bailiffs using their mobile phones. The former was shown in the area again the following day, while Burke’s Ford Kuga was tracked travelling through the Mersey Tunnels before passing the facility then returning to the Kirkdale area on January 4.
The 31-year-old’s fingerprints were also subsequently discovered on the tablet press in question. This led to him being arrested at his home on Sandpiper Close in Farnworth, Bolton, on January 20.
Maciulevicius’ fingerprints were similarly found on the machinery, as well as on a mirror in the bathroom and a trolley jack. His DNA was meanwhile recovered from a filtration mask which was recovered from the unit.
Ihtiandr Maciulevicius, of no fixed address, aged 22(Image: Merseyside Police)
Burke was previously handed 12 years behind bars plus an extended licence period of four years in 2013 for offences of conspiracy to possess firearms, conspiracy to commit arson and conspiracy to supply drugs. He has since been recalled to prison in relation to this sentence.
Damian Nolan, defending, said on his behalf: “He was not out for a particularly long time, and he stupidly got caught up in this. I am sure that it was explained to him that his licence would have teeth. He has learned that, because he has been on remand for a number of months.
“For his age, he has already spent far too long in prison. He knows more than anyone that he is simply going to have to change. He tells me that he is committed to doing so. He does not want any more court appearances. He is still relatively young.”
Maciulevicius has two previous convictions for offences of burglary in 2023 and possession of cannabis resin in 2024. His counsel Carmel Wilde told the court: “He is still obviously a very young man, somebody with very limited previous convictions.
“It may come somewhat as a surprise that a young man who has not been to custody before finds himself involved, all of a sudden, in such serious offending. Clearly, he was someone who was seen at the unit a lot, someone who was getting his hands dirty.
“Clearly, those who were behind the operation would usually steer well clear of being involved. Clearly, there were those much higher above him. His involvement, he instructs me, stems back to his significant cocaine addiction. He found himself not being able to keep on top of that addiction, spiralling out of control and finding himself involved in assisting others. This defendant was, in December 2024, slashed in the face, and had his finger cut off previously.
“Of course, he has to accept that his role was a significant one. He was somebody who was doing his job. While he has been in custody, he has been using his time productively.
“He has a five-month-old daughter, and his partner sits at the back of court. He will lose his liberty for some time now. His mother died about a month ago. She suffered from stomach cancer. His father died of a heart attack a number of years ago. He is a young man who has suffered from psychosis and post traumatic stress disorder. He yearns to use his time in custody constructively and build upon his progress upon release.”
Maciulevicius admitted being concerned in the production of ecstasy. Appearing in the dock wearing a grey Nike t-shirt, he was jailed for six years.
Burke pleaded guilty to participating in the activities of an organised crime group. Wearing a black Trailberg tracksuit, he replied “thank you, your honour” and waved and gave a thumbs up to his supporters in the public gallery after being locked up for 37 months.
Barry Burke, of Sandpiper Close in Farnworth, Bolton, aged 31(Image: Merseyside Police)
Thomas, also of no fixed address, similarly admitted participating in the activities of an organised crime group. The 42-year-old will be sentenced before the same court in October.
Sentencing, Judge David Swinnerton said: “There was enough to produce 23,400 tablets. That is just what was in the factory at the time. That was a sophisticated set up, designed to produce on an industrial scale.
“Mr Burke, you helped set that up. Mr Maciulevicius, you were there and seen to be there on CCTV day after day. It looks like you had got slippers, a dressing gown and a toothbrush there in order to be able to sleep there, perhaps regularly.
“You were the man on the ground at the unit where these ecstasy pills were being manufactured. I am told that you got involved because you have your own cocaine addiction. That is often, sadly, how people get involved in criminal offences around drugs. Nevertheless, you were involved in a serious, professional operation here.”
To Burke, the judge added: “You are aware of the harm that drugs can cause. You were still on licence, having not long been released from a sentence for very serious offences. It is a great pity for your family, at least, to see that you lasted such a short time in the community without reoffending again.
“You really are going to have to decide whether your life is going to be spent serving prison sentences. It was not a good start to your release. If you carry on like this, you are going to spend most of your life in custody.”