Man, 36, jailed for 10 years after police found £200,000 worth of drugs, firearms, chemicals and BIRDS in his huge property – which took 50 officers more than a month to search

A man has been jailed after police found a £200,000 haul of drugs, firearms, chemicals and BIRDS at his huge property.

Zak Dearden, 36, was sentenced to 10 years at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court after pleading guilty to 13 charges including possession of weapons, ammunition, possession of drugs, being concerned in the supply of drugs and manufacturing drugs.

In July 2023, police attended Dearden’s home address in Rochdale, a large plot of land with several containers, buildings and outbuildings.

The search lasted a month, during which more than 50 officers searched the land and all buildings.

Dearden owned a pet shop with his father that sold exotic birds. During the four-week search, officers found hundreds of different animals, including dogs, peacocks, parrots, mink, ferrets, ducks, koi carp and a bull.

At one count there were more than 800 parrots in separate outbuildings.

Zak Dearden, 36, was sentenced to 10 years at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court

A man has been jailed after police found a £200,000 haul of drugs, firearms, chemicals and birds at his huge property

During any search where parrots were found in the aviary, they had to be removed by an expert. They were left in the care of Dearden’s father after the search.

Dearden was originally arrested, charged and remanded in custody for a drug offence, but officers received information that he had weapons at his home address.

So a search of Deardan’s home began and Operation Greyhound began on July 27, 2023.

Over the next four weeks, the search of the premises resulted in the discovery of drugs, firearms and chemicals believed to have been used in the manufacture, and the seizure of drug production.

A total of five guns with bullets and drugs were found, including 10kg of amphetamine with a street value of £100,000, 99 grams of cannabis oil with a street value of £12,884, £57,000 of cannabis and £4,685 of cocaine.

Detective Sergeant Steven Gilliland said: “This has been a very challenging search and case. It took a month to completely search the site – it was the largest search I have ever been involved in.

“I would like to thank our officers and partners who assisted in this investigation – the hazardous chemicals Dearden used to produce the drugs had to be removed by chemical disposal experts.

In July 2023, police attended Dearden’s home address in Rochdale, a large plot of land with several containers, buildings and outbuildings.

‘Words cannot do justice to the size of the site, the number of buildings and the condition of the buildings that influenced the search.

“Our investigation has managed to uncover vast quantities of dangerous drugs, weapons and several animals living in appalling conditions.

‘For example, we found ten dogs living in what can only be described as their own filth. Concerns were raised and the RSPCA attended.

‘All dogs have been removed from the kennels and found alternative accommodation. I must thank the Dogs Trust in Denton for taking in two dogs and Leigh Dogs and Cats Home for taking in three.

“This operation has helped us prevent threatening materials from reaching the streets of Greater Manchester, and today’s sentence puts a dangerous offender behind bars.”

Dearden pleaded to 13 charges including concern for the production of amphetamines, possession with intent to supply amphetamines, production of cannabis oil, possession of cocaine with intent to supply, possession of cannabis with intent to supply, possession of a prohibited smoothbore firearm, converting an imitation firearm into a firearm, three counts of possessing a firearm when prohibited and three counts of possessing ammunition when prohibited.