Drugs gang sentenced to a total of 81 years imprisonment

25/02/2011

Following a year long covert police operation into the supply of drugs into the country, 23 people were found guilty during a number of trials held at Birmingham Crown Court.

The sentences handed out follow a two year investigation and prosecution which involved West Midlands police's Serious and Organised Crime Unit, officers from British Transport police and lawyers form the West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Complex Casework Unit.

Neil Fielding, Special Casework Lawyer from the West Midlands CPS Complex Casework Unit, said: "Large scale organised drugs gangs like this one can blight local communities. Drug dealers have complete disregard for the suffering that they cause to individuals, their families and the local community, their only concern is making money. 

"Through this successful prosecution we have made a substantial impact as well as disrupting a whole range of criminal behaviour in the West Midlands.

"As a consequence of this prosecution, approximately £30,000 of cocaine, £150,000 of cannabis have been recovered and four cannabis factories that were set up on a nationwide scale have been dismantled.

"Approximately £80,000 in cash has been seized or restrained by the courts and approximately £400,000 worth of houses are currently restrained.  All of these are currently under investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

"We hope this prosecution sends out a clear message to these criminal gangs and their members that we will work with our partners in the criminal justice system to take organised criminals off the streets of the West Midlands and remove the cash flow from organised crime."

Detective Inspector Bob Bradford from Force CID, who led the investigation, said: "These offenders used very sophisticated methods to transport drugs from one place to another, demonstrating high levels of deceit. They were also very organised in how they went about their drug dealing activities.

"The conviction of 23 offenders is a significant achievement as an entire organised crime group has been dismantled and removed from our communities.

"They were intent on making money through the distributing of harmful substances which would go on to cause misery amongst those most vulnerable."

Below are a list of those who were found guilty, their charges and sentence:

Trial 1 (phase 1)

Oliver Toye, 25:                    Conspiracy to supply ketamine: 15 months imprisonment

Christopher Dix, 28:            Conspiracy to supply ketamine: 21 months imprisonment

                                                Possession of MDMA: 2 months

                                                Possession amphetamine: 1 month

Total Sentence 24 months

Kevin Butler, 29:                  Conspiracy to supply ketamine: 15 months imprisonment

Neil Parkes, 29:                    Conspiracy to supply ketamine: 24 months imprisonment

Darren Floyd, 30:                 Conspiracy to supply ketamine: 21 months imprisonment

Peter Santos-Allen, 27:       Conspiracy to supply ketamine: 12 months imprisonment

Converting Criminal Property: 8 months imprisonment consecutively.

Total Sentence 20 months

 Trial 2 (phase 2)

 Terry Gardner, 27:                Conspiracy to supply cocaine: 10 years imprisonment

Conspiracy to supply cannabis:

 Carlton Silvera, 36:              Conspiracy to supply cocaine: 7 years imprisonment

                                                Conspiracy to supply cannabis

                                                Conspiracy to supply ketamine

                                                Possession of MDMA

                                                Possession of cannabis

 Lee Campbell, 26:                Conspiracy to supply cannabis: 3 years 6 months imprisonment

 Mohammed Khan, 42:        Conspiracy to supply cocaine:     

Conspiracy to supply cannabis: 6 years 3 months imprisonment

 Jason Coughlan, 34:          Concerned in the supply of cannabis:

Dangerous driving:  3 years and 6 months imprisonment

 Steven Gardner, 55:            Concerned in the production of cannabis: 12 month suspended sentence and 100 hours unpaid work

 Richard Slater, 30:               Conspiracy to supply cocaine: 4 years imprisonment  

                                                Conspiracy to supply cannabis

 Kieron Logan, 27:                Conspiracy to supply cocaine:

                                                Conspiracy to supply cannabis:

Possession of diamorphine: 4 years and 10 months Imprisonment

 Jay Byrne, 28:                       Conspiracy to supply cocaine:

Concerned in the supply of cannabis: 4 years and 10 months imprisonment                              

Matthew Clark, 27:               Concerned in the production of cannabis: 2 years imprisonment

Terence Wiseman, 39:        Concerned in the production of cannabis: 3 years imprisonment

Peter Hogg, 63:                    Concerned in the production of cannabis: 6 month suspended sentence

My Anh Bui, 35:                   Money laundering: 2 years imprisonment

Mark Cleaver, 34:                 Possession with intent to supply: 2 years 6 months imprisonment

Mark Mulholland, 47:          Deceased before trial was heard at court.

Trial 3 (phase 2)

Andrew Hayes, 53:              Conspiracy to supply cocaine: 7 years imprisonment

                                                Conspiracy to supply cannabis

 Michelle Hornblow, 32:       Conspiracy to supply cocaine: 3 years imprisonment

                                                Conspiracy to supply cannabis

 Richard Boothman, 24:       Conspiracy to supply cocaine: 6 years imprisonment

                                                Conspiracy to supply cannabis