A drug gang shipped large amounts of cannabis and cocaine between Merseyside and North Wales hidden inside modified cars.
Further members of an organised crime group (OCG) have been jailed for a total of almost 46 years. The Liverpool men were sentenced yesterday, Thursday, July 6, for their role in the extensive illicit operation which ran for months before being toppled by North Wales Police.
The movements of those suspected to be involved in the drug supply chain were closely monitored between July 2021 and February 2022 as part of Operation Blue Cashel. A number of raids were carried out across North Wales and Merseyside in February last year which led to a significant recovery of drugs and cash.
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In total more than 18kg of cocaine, more than 19kg of amphetamine, and 885 grams of cannabis was seized as part of the operation - a total estimated street value of around £2m. The OCG operation modified cars with sophisticated electronic hides in the floor pan to transport the drugs into Wrexham.
Police seized three cars in total and one was found to be carrying a kilogram of cocaine. More than £70,000 in cash was also recovered as part of the operation, including £30,000 in another of the modified cars.
During one of 15 search warrants carried out, a ledger recovered from one of the properties noted a monthly turnover of £1.2m. Another ledger recovered from one of the seized vehicles noted that between July 2021 and February 2022, more than £4.8m worth of drugs had been sold.
Caernarfon Crown Court heard in March last year that 11 members of the gang pleaded guilty to their roles in the OCG. Among them were the gang's leader Nathan John Barnes, 33, of Heol Y Bryn, Garden Village, Wrexham, and Liverpool man Joshua Daniel Brizell, 31, of Faversham Road, Walton.
Four more members were sentenced at the same courts yesterday, July 6, after admitting conspiring to supply Class A and B drugs, with another charged for possessing Class A and Class B drugs with intent to supply.
Anthony Preston, 45, of Leopold Road, Kensington - Conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs - 13 years, 1 month.
Mathew McGrath, 28, of Access Road, West Derby - Conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs, and possessing Class A and Class B drugs with intent to supply - 11 years, 3 months.
Kenneth Houghton, 35, of Auburn Road, Tuebrook - Conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs - 10 years, 2 months.
Lee Cole, 42, of Beetham Tower, Old Hall Street, City Centre - Conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs - 11 years, 3 months.
Footage released by North Wales Police in March showed the moment officers intercepted several members of the OCG in a car park. The drone footage showed the officers emerge from an undercover white van before tackling and handcuffing the gang members.
Soon after several police cars, some marked and others unmarked, drive over and box in the drug dealers' cars. The officers can be seen wrestling some members of the gang to the ground.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Hughes, the senior investigating officer, said: "The overall result following this operation is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all the officers involved and sends a strong message that we do not tolerate drug dealing in our communities.
"The quantity of drugs seized from this sophisticated gang as part of Operation Blue Cashel was one of the largest hauls ever recovered in North Wales. A good deal of planning and organisation went into the operation, and the rewards for the gang were clearly very high.
"Those who see North Wales as an easy target to supply drugs will be thwarted and we remain committed to tackling this crime that has such a detrimental effect on people’s lives. We will relentlessly pursue anyone who breaks the law and exploits vulnerable people for their own gain, and we will continue to strive to make North Wales the safest place to live, work and visit in the UK."
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