The UK’s Sun newspaper reports…
A policeman who masterminded a drug trafficking ring after he became hooked on the TV crime drama Breaking Bad is facing jail today.
PC Daniel Aimson, 36, was convicted as Greater Manchester Police faces corruption claims over an inquiry into one of the UK’s most notorious gangs.
GMP officer Aimson copied storylines from the hit show to grow two cannabis farms in Greater Manchester, a court heard.
He even regularly wore a ”Heisenberg” T-shirt featuring the face of the lead character.
In the American TV drama, chemistry teacher Walter White sets up a major crystal meths trafficking operation in Albuquerque, New Mexico to fund his cancer treatment.
A court heard Aimson began growing cannabis after he was injured in three road accidents while serving with Greater Manchester Police. He was in a wheelchair for three months after one of the crashes, claimed he was left with post Traumatic Stress Disorder and became resentful of the way senior colleagues treated him.
Later he used a driving licence he had confiscated from a motorist during a routine traffic stop to rent out two anonymous residential properties just five doors away from each other and installed special equipment.
Both houses were then used as factories to manufacture cannabis and Aimson was said to have ”revelled” in his secret double life as a drug trafficker.
Police tipped off about his criminal operation found 96 cannabis plans in one of the properties and 70 plants in the other during synchronised raids in June 2016.
Officers also raided the home in Astley, near Wigan, which Aimson shared with his glamorous wife Rachel and found £22,545 in dirty money.
The house had a sophisticated CCTV system and officers discovered footage of Aimson wearing the Heisenberg T-shirt.
Three other driving licences seized from motorists were also found at the house.
Aimson described 2015 as ”the year of investing” and 2016 as the ”year of making money” and talked of buying a harvesting machine to help maximise profits.
Texts between Aimson and his gang talked of a ”sales drive to obtain Christmas money”.
Owen Edwards, prosecuting, said: ”It is clear that Aimson revelled in his double life as officer and criminal.”
At Manchester Crown Court, Aimson admitted conspiracy to produce cannabis and misconduct in a public office and will be sentenced today.
He was sacked from the force last February.
