Twelve people have been sentenced for their part in a ‘County Lines’ drugs network operating between Merseyside and Shrewsbury.
Nine men and three women were sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Monday 9 December and Tuesday 10 December.
Officers from West Mercia Police Serious and Organised Crime Unit launched an investigation into the supply of heroin and crack cocaine in Shrewsbury in May 2015.
The investigation revealed an organised crime group from Merseyside were running a county lines drug dealing operation dealing heroin and crack cocaine in Shrewsbury.
Mobiles used to deal drugs
Investigating officers identified the supply of drugs into the county was co-ordinated from a number of mobile phones, based in Merseyside. Group messages advertising drugs for sale were sent out with members of the group travelling between Merseyside and Shropshire on a regular basis to deal drugs to local users.
Local vulnerable drug users were recruited to assist by providing them with local knowledge, transport and a base to operate from.
Arrests
Police arrested the main suspects in December 2015, dismantling the operation. This was followed up by a series of arrests in early 2016 as the extent of the operation unfolded.
The investigation was led by Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector, Gavin Kinrade.
He said, “This Merseyside based gang were motivated solely by greed and targeted vulnerable members of our community addicted to illicit drugs recruiting some to further their operation. They showed no regard for these very vulnerable individuals or to the misery and devastation heroin and crack cocaine cause to individuals, their families or our community.
“This was a complex investigation and I would like to pay tribute to the investigation team for their professionalism and dedication. West Mercia Police are committed to protecting the public from harm and targeting Organised Crime Groups. This result should also act as a warning to other gangs as to what they can expect if they commit crime in West Mercia.”
Criminal Sentences
The following defendants were convicted of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs between 1 January 2015 and 4 December 2015. In 2017, Carter, Cox, Dillon, the Gray brothers and Pritchard all pleaded guilty to being involved in Conspiracy. King was found guilty of conspiracy in a trial earlier this year.
Anthony Gray aka Cox, 38, Speke, Liverpool was sentenced to eight years.
Jordan Gray aka Cox 29, Speke, Liverpool was sentenced to six years, four months.
Dean Pritchard, 27, Wavertree, Liverpool, was sentenced to six years, four months.
Kelly Carter, 33, Telford, was sentenced to five years, four months.
Zac Dillon, 26, Dovecot, Liverpool, was sentenced to four years, ten months.
Gary Cox, 54, Speke, Liverpool, was sentenced to two years, ten months.
Sean King, 22, Speke, Liverpool, was sentenced to two years, six months.
The following defendants were convicted of being concerned in the supply controlled drugs between 1st January 2015 and 4th December 2015.
Quiney, Davies, Harley and Dunbar pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of drugs in 2017; Vesayaporn and Ring were both found guilty of being concerned in the supply in the earlier in 2019.
Erin Vesayaporn, 39, Dorrington, Shrewsbury, was sentenced to twelve month Community Order.
Clare Ring, 49, Sundorne, Shrewsbury, was sentenced to a two year Community Order.
Paul Davies, 44, Sundorne, Shrewsbury, was sentenced to a two year suspended sentence, suspended for two years and a curfew order of three months.
Adrian Harley, 57, Woore, Crewe, was sentenced to a two-year sentence suspended for two years and a curfew order of three months.
Andrew Quiney, 31, HMP Bullingdon, was sentenced to a two year suspended sentence, suspended for two years.
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