An organised crime gang from Crewe and Wistaston involved in the supply of cocaine has been jailed for almost 65 years.
The 13 men, led by ringleader Martin Day (pictured), were members of a gang who had been flooding the streets of Crewe with the drug.
The sentencing was the culmination of an 11-month long investigation by officers from Cheshire Police’s Crime Operations Unit.
Police carried out dawn raids at addresses across Nantwich, Crewe and Newcastle-under-Lyme, leading to the arrest of eight men on suspicion of drugs offences.
Two other men were produced from Risley Prison and arrested.
Nine of the men, Martin Day, 34; Anthony Preedy, 28; Luke Bowers, 21; Matthew Young, 32; Philip Derricutt, 35; Thomas Coppenhall, 23; Andrew Holdcroft, 37; Russell Barker, 52; and Lee Cooper, 35; were all charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
A tenth suspect Nicholas Hall, 33, was released on police bail.
Three days after the warrants, a further arrest was made at Manchester Airport when 45-year-old Paul Hamlett, of Parkers Road, Crewe, was arrested after returning to the UK from a family holiday.
He was charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Two further arrests were made in November and Colin Earrey, 47, and James Taylor, 33, were both charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
In addition Hall, who was arrested and bailed during the initial warrants, was also charged with the same offence on November 18.
At Chester Crown Court, Hamlett, Coppenhall, Preedy, Bowers, Holdcroft, Earrey and Hall pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
The remaining six – Day, Cooper, Derricutt, Young, Barker and Taylor – pleaded not guilty and stood trial at Chester Crown Court.
The evidence revealed the group, led by Day, had six dealers in Young, Coppenhall, Bowers, Taylor, Hall and Preedy who distributed Class A drugs across Crewe.
In addition, Day also supplied drugs to Hamlett who would distribute them to three dealers Barker, Cooper and Derricutt.
The court also heard Earrey and Holdcroft allowed their homes to be used to store and prepare drugs for supply.
Mobile phone data showed how Day and Hamlett were in contact with each other on a daily basis, and that the ‘Eight Farmers Public House’ where Hamlett was living at the time, was used as a ‘hub’ by the gang.
The jury took two days to find them guilty of all the charges.
All 13 members of the gang were sentenced at Chester Crown Court today (March 29) by Judge Woodward.
The sentences included:
Martin Day, 34, of Draycott Drive, Newcastle Under Lyme – 10 years 6 months
Matthew Young, 32, of Crewe Road, Wistaston – 6 years
Luke Bowers, 21, of Brookhouse Drive, Crewe – 4 years
James Taylor, 33, of Hughes Drive, Crewe – 5 years
Nicholas Hall, 33, of Worsdell Close, Crewe – 3 years 4 months
Anthony Preedy, 28, of Fairbourne Avenue, Crewe – 5 years
Thomas Coppenhall, 23, of Risley Prison – 4 years 4 months
Paul Hamlett, 45, of Parkers Road, Crewe – 6 years 6 months
Russell Barker, 52, of Alton Street, Crewe – 4 years
Philip Derricutt, 35, of Camm Street, Crewe – 3 years
Lee Cooper, 35, of West Street, Crewe – 4 years 3 months
Andrew Holdcroft, 37, of Risley Prison – 5 years
Colin Earrey, 47, of Hesketh Croft, Leighton – 3 years 4 months.
Det Insp Giles Pierce, from the Crime Operations Unit, said: “Throughout the investigation, it had been clear that Day was the ringleader of this criminal enterprise.
“He lived a luxurious lifestyle from his Staffordshire home, using money raised from the supply of illicit drugs to fund extravagant holidays, expensive cars and high-tech technology.
“Day made his money by maintaining disciplined control of the gang to act as a network of ‘couriers’ for him – distributing illegal drugs across Crewe and South Cheshire.
“He facilitated the large-scale supply of illegal drugs, while attempting to minimise his own direct involvement in their movement.”
Cheshire Police and Crime Commissioner David Keane said: “It’s pleasing to see the sentences handed down to the defendants, which will keep the individuals involved off Cheshire’s streets.
“I would like to thank all of the officers and staff involved in the operation for the dedication and commitment that they have shown.
“Having seen the threat posed by organised criminal gangs, removing those involved in this activity from our communities is paramount and sends a strong message that they are not welcome in our county.””
The investigation was carried out as part of Operation Impact.
Anyone with any information on illegal drugs can contact Cheshire Police on 101, alternatively anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.
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