A man’s public use of nitrous oxide balloons in Maidstone led Kent Police to dismantle an industrial-scale ecstasy production line on the Isle of Sheppey.
In October 2024, CCTV operators spotted Bryn Graham, 23, inhaling gas from balloons, leading to a search that uncovered MDMA, ketamine, and cash. A subsequent raid on his Eastchurch home revealed pill-pressing machinery and bulk narcotics, while phone forensics implicated his brother, Connor Graham, 27, who was already incarcerated for similar offences.
Despite the initial investigation, a second raid in December 2025 discovered the brothers had upgraded their operation with even more industrial equipment and officers seized two kilos of MDMA, 5,000 ecstasy pills, and cocaine.
On February 26, 2026, Maidstone Crown Court sentenced Bryn Graham to seven years and Connor Graham to nine years and three months. Both men now face further proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act to seize their illegal profits.