A drugs gang boss who peddled kilos of cocaine and heroin throughout Greater Manchester was caught out by WhatsApp messages he sent to others. Remi Merriman, 35, was at the centre of the trafficking ‘business’ and was involved in the selling of ‘wholesale’ quantities of class A drugs.
Minshull Street Crown Court heard that he employed a ‘trusted lieutenant’, Lewis Carr, 30, to package and deliver the drugs, as well as collecting cash. As Lewis Carr couldn’t drive, Merriman instructed David Cottrell, 30, to drive him to various locations across the North West.
The organised criminal group were caught out following a lengthy investigation by Greater Manchester Police which unveiled numerous messages between Merriman and others who bought the drugs. During the first day of the sentencing hearing, the court heard how each of the nine defendants in the dock played a part in the conspiracy from 2019 to 2020.
