Ten people have been jailed after police busted an organised crime gang (OCG).
Officers in Cheshire launched Operation Feared in the summer of 2021 to tackle the gang which were involved in the transportation of cocaine.
Chester Crown Court heard how the leader of the drug gang Ben Cooke, 41, used his relations with suppliers in Liverpool to distribute the substances. Cooke would take payments for the cocaine before having them transported to Chester, Liverpool Eco reports.
Police arrested him on October 27 2021 following the arrest of Kevin Jones who the drug boss had sent to collect an order. Jones was found to have 2kg after being stopped on his journey back to Chester on 27 October 2021.
Concerned, Cooke tried to contact the drug runner multiple times throughout the day. Even travelling to Jones' house - where he was swiftly arrested by waiting cops.
Trusted associate Alfie Chadwick was also snared after being put under surveillance. Officers followed him to an industrial site before executing a search warrant.
The court heard that 295 cannabis plants as well as a number of black tubs and vacuum sealed bags containing cannabis skunk were found. Chadwick was known to oversee the distribution of the drugs into Chester and would regularly travel to Liverpool to meet the suppliers. He would then employ others to stash, cut and deal the drugs on his behalf.
A valuation on the drugs seized from the first unit searched revealed a potential wholesale value between £79,840 and £196,750 and street value of £164,400 to £259,280. The potential valuation of the drugs found in the second storage unit at wholesale was from £24,160 to £113,250 and street value of £49,740 to £149,220.
As part of the operation, Amy King, Shaun Hanratty, Luke McGrady, Karl Waters, Nathan Pearson, Jordan McLoughlin and Robert Randall were all arrested. The gang were convicted of drug offences and sentenced to more than 37 years in jail.
The defendants were sentenced to the following -
- Ben Cooke, 41, of Delvine Drive, Blacon, charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine) – 10 years and 6 months.
- Shaun Hanratty, 39, of Heriot Street, Liverpool, charged with assisting an OCG – 20 months suspended.
- Alfie Chadwick, 26, of Dyserth Road, Blacon, charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine) and conspiracy to produce cannabis – 11 years.
- Jordan McLoughlin, 25, of Blacon Point Road, Blacon, charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine) – 8 years and 1 month.
- Kevin Jones, 44, of Blacon Point Road, Blacon, charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine) – 5 years and 4 months.
- Amy King, 26, of Granary Wharf, Chester, charged with possession with intent to supply class A drugs (cocaine) – 1 year and six months.
- Karl Waters, 37, of Sycamore Drive, Lache, charged with conspiracy to produce cannabis and possession with intent to supply class A drugs (cocaine) – 4 years and 10 months.
- Luke McGrady, 32, of Browning Close, Blacon, charged with conspiracy to produce cannabis – 24 months suspended for 24 months.
- Nathan Pearson, 38, of St Marks Road, Lache, charged with conspiracy to produce cannabis – 9 months suspended for 18 months.
- Robert Randall, 35, of Cliveden Road, Lache, charged with conspiracy to produce cannabis – 4 months suspended for 18 months.
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