An organised drug crime ring that saw Class A drugs sent between Cornwall and Merseyside was exposed after the gang's pub mistake.
The operation saw around 140 packages sent back up north containing more than £500,000 cash. Half a kilo of heroin and cutting agent was also seized during a string of raids.
However the enterprise came tumbling down when police caught a break when coffee jars of drugs were accidentally left behind in a Cornish pub. Devon and Cornwall Police has now released mugshots of Kevin Condliffe, Richard McLean and Kieron Ellis who are all now serving considerable stretches behind bars, for their part in the organisation.
READ MORE: £1m speed 'kingpin', Snapchat pervert and teen who called police 'sausages' jailed
Condliffe and McLean, from Liverpool, were higher up the chain performing organisational roles, whereas Ellis from Cornwall was involved in the onward supply of the drugs once they arrived in Cornwall, Cornwall Live reports.
The three men were jailed for a large-scale drugs conspiracy that saw drugs transported to Cornwall and proceeds from sales sent back to Liverpool from post offices on The Lizard peninsula. Around 140 packages were sent back up north containing more than £500,000 cash.
Kieron Ellis, 44, Kevin Condliffe, 46, and Richard McLean, 39, appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentence after admitting conspiracy to supply Class A drugs offences. A fourth defendant, Johnathan Fincham had his sentencing adjourned to allow for a trial of issue to take place.
Condliffe and McLean are both from Liverpool with Ellis from the Penzance area and Fincham from the Helston area. Prosecuting the case, Jason Beal said: "This case concerns a conspiracy to bring heroin and cocaine into Cornwall for onward distribution."
Mr Beal described how on September 5 2021, Condliffe and McLean attended the Quintrell Inn near Newquay and attracted the attention of punters due to their strange behaviour. They left in a taxi and customers found that they left behind coffee jars full of drugs so the police were called.
When Condliffe and McLean arrived at a campsite near Hayle they realised they had left behind the expensive quantity of drugs. Condliffe requested a taxi to take them back to the pub and the driver observed him as nervous, angry and sending frantic texts.
When he got back to the pub he saw police were in attendance so he fled, but a can he left behind in the taxi allowed police to identify him through DNA.
The coffee jars contained heroin worth between £10,000 and £27,000. DNA for both Condliffe and McLean was found on some of the bags.
Mr Beal then went on to say how on November 10, 2021, police attended Ellis' home in Carbis Bay and found heroin worth £1,300, dealer lists and other drug equipment. His phone was examined and found to have sent out bulk messages advertising the sale of drugs.
Further investigation revealed that McLean sent multiple packages from Mullion Post Offices to addresses in Liverpool linked to McLean and Condliffe. CCTV from Mullion and Ruan Minor post offices showed McLean and Condliffe sending packages to Liverpool, 140 packages containing an estimated £561,000 in cash
Condliffe's caravan, located at a caravan site between Mullion and Ruan Minor, was found to contain various quantities of drugs and other paraphernalia.
Mr Beal told the court how examination showed cash deposits paid into numerous bank accounts and phone records showed regular contact between the defendants. In total half a kilo of heroin was seized and substantial amounts of cutting agent during raids.
Ellis also fell to be sentenced for a second set of offending after his homeless pod in Penzance was found to contain heroin and messages suggested he was selling cocaine too.
All three defendants have criminal convictions recorded against them, including for drug offences. Representing Condliffe, Judith Constable said that he is a father who suffered drug and alcohol issues that he has tackled since being remanded in custody.
Ed Bailey, for McLean said that he relapsed into addiction after witnessing the death of his young nephew. Ellis, Robin Smith said, also has a long-term addiction to Class A drugs and alcohol. Mr Smith added that his client made little financial gain from the operation, only satisfaction of his own addiction.
Sentencing the trio, Recorder Christopher Quinlan KC said: "Class A drugs are a blight on this county and cause widespread damage. Criminals from outside the county target Cornwall for the purpose of supplying Class A drugs for money."
Recorder Quinlan stated that all three men would have been well aware of the risk of getting involved in drug supply. He added: "The quantities in this case are significant, as was the money made. Each of you played an important role in the drugs enterprise which was planned, sophisticated and sustained.
"A feature of this case was that money was sent from Cornwall to Liverpool by post, the thinking being that it would avoid the risk of individuals being caught with sums they couldn't explain."
Condliffe was ruled to perform an "operation management function" and was jailed for nine and a half years. McLean was deemed to also be in a management role and was jailed for eight and a half years. Ellis, who also performed a significant role but further down the scale, was jailed for seven years to take into account both sets of offending. Ellis was in charge of onward supply to local users. Fincham will likely be sentenced next week.
READ NEXT:
