Opium Poppies Grown at WHF?

[Caroline]

I wrote to JB a while ago about the poppies and this is what he said in a letter dated 22nd July 2015:

"Now this is an odd thing because you believe that the first licence to grown opium poppies was not granted until the naughties.  You are of course correct growing a few opium poppies is not illegal in and of itself, its illegal to grow a large quantity for commercial use - it must be otherwise loads of  them would be grown and  harvested, with the only illegal bit being when the opium is extracted - which could be done in a secret lab.

I'm guessing that we grew them under a sub contract with Kings Seeds of Coggeshall - they organised the trial, it was home office approved as a man from the ministry of agriculture visited to see that all was above board - we had to grow them at least 1/2 a mile from a main road and 1/2 a mile from a footpath.

The bit about me and Dr Craig going by the field growing the poppies is nonsense, we were nowhere near the area where the poppies were being grown.

Noone knew we grew poppies, no criminals could have known, I cannot recall how I came to tell Dr Craig about them, I think he simply asked me what crops we grew on the farm, thing was dad and I used to grow all sorts of new things, like borrage, evening primrose, lupins and fenugreek only on a small scale - though we went a bit mad with the borage cos we made so much money with that crop as we found out how to harvest it without it dropping its seeds.  So all that nonsense about me showing Dr Craig an opium poppy is nonsense.  It was a passing comment, and Essex police would have been aware - though I'm guessing the licence was with the ministry of AG and Kings Seeds.

Anyway hope that helps".



Kings seeds:

https://www.kingsseeds.com/

Still think it sounds iffy.  If NB was growing opium poppies illegally a visit from 'the man at ministry of AG' would provide a plausible explanation to those working/living at WHF:  June, JB, BW, LF and other farm workers.  Unless the individual was verified by way of photographic evidence and a call made to Min of Ag to confirm the individual was a bona fide employee it's not evidence of anything. 

Dr Craig recalled JB saying WHF had a licence to grow opium poppies for the pharma industry.  What have Kings Seeds got to do with the pharma ind?

Well, someone told Craig - if what he was told was untrue, then it could only have come from Jeremy.

[Holly Goodhead]

Well, someone told Craig - if what he was told was untrue, then it could only have come from Jeremy.

JB isn't denying he told Dr Craig about the poppies just that he didn't present him with them.  I'm more inclined to go with Dr Criag's version of events especially as he said he thought JB was suffering emotional shock.

Page 179 CAL's book:

"He was carrying a small bunch of opium poppies when Dr Craig caught up with him.  Explaining that the farm had a special licence to grow them for the pharmaceutical industry, he walked round to the kitchen yard and let the labrador out of the barn.  Following him, Dr Craig felt Jeremy was 'grief stricken' and suffering 'emotional shock'.  He said as much to Chief Superintendent Harris before departing, but confirmed that Jeremy was fit for interview".

CAL's source:

"Ian Craig, notes for Essex Police 'A review of the Bamber Killings', November 1986.  Unless indicated otherwise, all quotes from Ian Craig in this chapter are from this source". Chapter 21, item 11.

Chief Sup George Harris WS:

"He [Dr Ian Craig] asked if I knew that the farm was especially licensed to grow the opium poppy, which I was not, and as a result we both went to look at a small area in a field on the right hand side of Pages Lane about a quarter of a mile beyond the farmhouse".

http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=157.0;attach=106

http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=157.0;attach=108

Today farmers involved in growing opium poppies for the pharma industry don't require any 'special licence' as it isn't illegal to grow them or a licensable activity.  The licensable bit comes when the opium is extracted for medicinal purposes.   The Home Office is advised of the farms/farmers involved and writes to confirm 'inviting' the farms/farmers to inform their local police force.  Given NB was a magistrate one might have thought he would have a local police contact who he was able to commuicate these facts to and pass them on to relevant personnel?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacFarlan_Smith 

(See under present)

Opium poppy cultivation in the United Kingdom does not need a licence, but a licence is required for those wishing to extract opium for medicinal products.

When the UK has legitimately gone into opium poppy production for the 'pharma ind' it has been for specific companies:  GSK in 1957 and MacFarlan Smith in 2006.  Case related material refers to the 'pharmaceutical industry' which appears convenient as its obscure.   

I've been unable to find any evidence of UK based pharma companies procuring homegrown opium poppies during the 80's or farmers cultivating for such other than JB's claims. 

I accept there could be an innocent explanation and we know how communications can be genuinely misinterpreted/misunderstood etc.  But I also think its suspicious:

- Site of a notorious crime
- Claims of phone calls between father and son who appear not to want a police prescene
- Same site features arguably the world's most controversial plant growing in questionable circumstances

[Holly Goodhead]

The Rettendon murders took place a little after 10 years from WHF and only 16 miles away.  Are the guys responsible still inside?  If so perhaps you could write to them and sound them out?  Next time we meet up the beers are on me    That's assuming you live to tell the tale 

Ironically the name of the farm where the Rettendon murders took place is White House Farm!

David I've put a post on the thread for you:

http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?topic=6020.msg434664#msg434664

[Holly Goodhead]

If JB was aware why wouldn't he advise his defence as potentially it might explain NB and JB's reluctance to involve the police?

- Loyalty and respect to NB

- Fear police would put under enormous pressure to reveal others who JB would likely fear/reprisals

- Thinks it would incriminate him further

[Holly Goodhead]

If JB was aware why wouldn't he advise his defence as potentially it might explain NB and JB's reluctance to involve the police?

- Loyalty and respect to NB

- Fear police would put under enormous pressure to reveal others who JB would likely fear/reprisals

- Thinks it would incriminate him further

I forgot to add the harsh penalties for producing:

https://www.gov.uk/penalties-drug-possession-dealing

If JB said 'Look dad probably didn't want to involve you guys because we're growing opium poppies down on the farm for street heroin.  And/or 'I didn't call 999 as I wanted to keep it low key with local bobbies rather than the heavies turning up en masse because dad and me were growing opium poppies for street heroin'. 

[Caroline]

If JB was aware why wouldn't he advise his defence as potentially it might explain NB and JB's reluctance to involve the police?

- Loyalty and respect to NB

- Fear police would put under enormous pressure to reveal others who JB would likely fear/reprisals

- Thinks it would incriminate him further

Probably because they weren't growing poppies illegally.

[Holly Goodhead]

Probably because they weren't growing poppies illegally.

That's correct.  It isn't illegal in the UK for farmers or anyone to cultivate opium poppies but why would a farmer choose to do so without it appears a legitimate market?

[John]

That's correct.  It isn't illegal in the UK for farmers or anyone to cultivate opium poppies but why would a farmer choose to do so without it appears a legitimate market?

The poppies grow wild on what was until recently my uncles farm in Scotland.  There are thousands of them every summer.

[Holly Goodhead]

The poppies grow wild on what was until recently my uncles farm in Scotland.  There are thousands of them every summer.

If they were growing wild it wouldn't explain JB's claims of a 'special licence' which he told to Dr Craig on 7th Aug.  I queried this with JB and here's his response verbatim:

http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?topic=7323.msg434280#msg434280

[Caroline]

That's correct.  It isn't illegal in the UK for farmers or anyone to cultivate opium poppies but why would a farmer choose to do so without it appears a legitimate market?

Holly, you don't know enough about the Bambers and their business to decide what their 'legitimate' market was. You're simply making wild assumptions. It's easy to get carried away and think we know the people involved and their business but there will be a LOT of info about the likes of business dealings that was never made public simply because it had nothing to do with the murders.

[Holly Goodhead]

Holly, you don't know enough about the Bambers and their business to decide what their 'legitimate' market was. You're simply making wild assumptions. It's easy to get carried away and think we know the people involved and their business but there will be a LOT of info about the likes of business dealings that was never made public simply because it had nothing to do with the murders.

Of course the opium poppies have nothing to do with the murders per se.

I don't need to know anything about the Bambers or their businesses to know there's no evidence the UK pharma industry was procurring opium poppies from UK based farmers with the requisite government approval by way of a licence in 1985.

Could it be that NB witnessing the huge profits to be made from illegal drugs through his role as magistrate decided to cultivate opium poppies?  Maybe extracting the opium on site and then transferring elsewhere for the manufacturing process?  Was the brown substance found in the safe by the relatives opium?  Maybe some was being pulled off daily to check for purity and the right time to harvest?

Others can say my theories are wild but seem to lack any counter arguments that cover all the known facts:

- JB has consistently claimed WHF had a licence to cultivate opium poppies for the pharma industry

- JB reiterated the above to Dr Craig on 7th Aug contained in written testimony

- Dr Craig reiterated the above to Chief Sup Harris on 7th Aug contained in written testimony

- Dr Craig and Chief Sup Harris took it upon themselves to take a look at the poppies

- According to my communication with JB a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture called at WHF to see all was above board.  The poppies had to be cultivated 1/2 a mile from roads and footpaths.  Assuming a representative turned up it is not evidence of anything unless the individual was verified by way of photographic evidence. 

- There's no evidence the UK pharma industry was procurring opium poppies from UK based farmers with the requisite government approval by way of a licence in 1985.

[Holly Goodhead]

Well, well, well ...... I have found another reference to the opium poppies. It is in Colin's book (Chapter 3, page 43). He states that Stan Jones told him "Nevill was growing opium under a special government license for the pharmaceutical indistry". Obviously he was told this by Jeremy and it led to Sheila being tested for narcotics. The tests proved negative for cocaine BUT he goes on to say that there was an"unusually high level of haloperidol" in her system.

Why would DS Jones relay the above to CC?  Farmers do not require a licence to cultivate opium poppies.  Only those authorised to remove the opium and manufacture into legal drugs require government approval by way of a licence.

All victims were checked for drugs and alcohol.  This is standard procedure and had nothing whatsoever to do with the opium poppies.  There wasn't an unusually high level of haloperidol in SC's system.  The level was low within the moderate range. 

[Holly Goodhead]

There also appears to be a lack of transparency by reference to the pharmaceutical industry.  In 1957 GlaxoSmithKline was unsuccessful in procuring opium from cultivating opium poppies produced by UK farmers.  In 2002 to present Smith MacFarlane have been successful procuring opium from cultivating opium poppies produced by UK farmers.  These are the only 2 pharma companies there's evidence of procuring opium from UK based farmers.


- NB/WHF was an established famer/farm

- NB witnessed the huge demand and profits from illegal drugs through his role as magistrate

- NB had some knowledge of these things from WW2 (morphine) and agricultural college

- According to RB's WS, NB had a low regard for the competence of EP referring to them as "Dad's Army"

- NB would have access to local intelligence in his role as magistrate eg police operations and which criminals to approach to get an intro to top tier.

- NB's reputation would go before him allowing him/WHF to fall under the radar

- 32 years ago most lived in blissful ignorance and such an operation could easily fall under the radar.  If NB made a big thing about the man from the Ministry of Agriculture turning up to the likes of June, Babs Wilson, Len Foakes (and even JB) it could just as easily be a drug baron.  NB could simply have said to his family/employees that it had to be kept quiet to prevent the poppies falling into the hands of criminals!  Hence JB's claims of growing 1/2 a mile from roads/footpaths.

[Holly Goodhead]

Why would DS Jones relay the above to CC?  Farmers do not require a licence to cultivate opium poppies.  Only those authorised to remove the opium and manufacture into legal drugs require government approval by way of a licence.

All victims were checked for drugs and alcohol.  This is standard procedure and had nothing whatsoever to do with the opium poppies.  There wasn't an unusually high level of haloperidol in SC's system.  The level was low within the moderate range.

Dr Vanezis obtained samples from all victims to enable tests for drugs and alcohol which were passed to the relevant expert at FSS for analysis:

http://miscarriageofjustice.co/index.php?topic=207.msg2233#msg2233

[Caroline]

Of course the opium poppies have nothing to do with the murders per se.

I don't need to know anything about the Bambers or their businesses to know there's no evidence the UK pharma industry was procurring opium poppies from UK based farmers with the requisite government approval by way of a licence in 1985.

Could it be that NB witnessing the huge profits to be made from illegal drugs through his role as magistrate decided to cultivate opium poppies?  Maybe extracting the opium on site and then transferring elsewhere for the manufacturing process?  Was the brown substance found in the safe by the relatives opium?  Maybe some was being pulled off daily to check for purity and the right time to harvest?

Others can say my theories are wild but seem to lack any counter arguments that cover all the known facts:

- JB has consistently claimed WHF had a licence to cultivate opium poppies for the pharma industry

- JB reiterated the above to Dr Craig on 7th Aug contained in written testimony

- Dr Craig reiterated the above to Chief Sup Harris on 7th Aug contained in written testimony

- Dr Craig and Chief Sup Harris took it upon themselves to take a look at the poppies

- According to my communication with JB a representative from the Ministry of Agriculture called at WHF to see all was above board.  The poppies had to be cultivated 1/2 a mile from roads and footpaths.  Assuming a representative turned up it is not evidence of anything unless the individual was verified by way of photographic evidence. 

- There's no evidence the UK pharma industry was procurring opium poppies from UK based farmers with the requisite government approval by way of a licence in 1985.

Neither is there evidence that they weren't.