A Bolton pair are among 30 criminals sentenced after two huge investigations into county lines drug dealing across the country.
Officers discovered a sniper rifle and a shotgun, along with 100 rounds of ammunition and piles of cocaine, as they rumbled four 'grafts' operating in England.
Nineteen people were sentenced to a total of 95 years in prison on Monday (February 21) as part of the investigation.
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The huge group included Wayne Cohen and Shannon Farrow, both of Barton Road, Farnworth.
It followed the sentencing of 11 other offenders as part of a linked investigation last month, with the entire group set to serve 151 years behind bars.
Warrants were executed on Merseyside and in Eastbourne at the culmination of a 12-month investigation, named Operation Casino.
It led to the first 11 being sentenced, including 30 year-old Danny Hanley, of no fixed abode.
Merseyside Police says that during the course of the investigation, it was established that associates of Hanley were running their own drugs ‘grafts’ - or drug lines - and a simultaneous investigation named Op Casino 2 was launched.
It identified three county line ‘grafts’ in Morecambe, Plymouth and Torquay and a Liverpool ‘graft’.
During the Op Casino 2 investigation, a sniper rifle and shotgun - which had been stolen during burglaries - and around 100 rounds of ammunition were recovered from a farmhouse in Kirkby used by the Liverpool gang.
A quantity of class A drugs was also seized from individuals and properties in Liverpool and Morecambe.
The 19 sentenced on Monday included Cohen, 39, who admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to six years and seven months in prison.
Farrow, 25, of Barton Road, Farnworth, admitted assisting an organised crime group and was sentenced to nine months suspended for 18 months.
Seventeen others were sentenced on Monday:
- Christopher Scully, 33, of Prestbury Road, Norris Green, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to nine years and four months
- Kane Bennett, 26, of Galemead, Norris Green, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and conspiring to possess firearms and ammunition without a certificate and was sentenced to 14 years and four months
- Jamie Mac Thompson, 30, of Berry Street, Liverpool, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and possession of ammunition without a certificate and was sentenced to nine years and six months
- Philip Ryder, 40, of Quernmore Road, Kirkby, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to eight years and seven months
- Ricky Dewsbury, 42, of Prestbury Road, Norris Green, admitted assisting an organised crime group and was sentenced to two years and three months
- Nicholas Begg, 22, of Alvanley Road, Kirkby admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to six years
- Anya Buckley, 20, of Newman Street, Kirkdale, admitted assisting an organised crime group and was sentenced to a two year community order, a £200 fine and 50 hours unpaid work
- Edward Begg, 21, of Alvanley Road, Kirkby, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to six years and five months
- Luke Belger, 20, of Minstead Avenue, Kirkby, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to four years and eight months
- Stephen Watson, 49, of Balmoral Road, Morecambe, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to four years
- Ema Rimmer, 45, of Balmoral Road, Morecambe, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to three years and seven months
- Gareth Rees, 45, of Thornton Road, Morecambe, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to six years and nine months
- Katrina Knight, 49, of Thornton Road, Morecambe, admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to five years and eight months
- Dean Tarry, 54, of Westminster Road, Morecambe, admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine and was sentenced to six years and seven months
- Samantha Nield, 35, of Alexandra Road, Morecambe, admitted assisting an organised crime group and was sentenced to nine months in prison
- Scott McKenzie, 39, of Bartholomew Road, Morecambe, admitted assisting an organised crime group and was sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for 18 months, plus 35 rehabilitation days and 100 hours unpaid work
- Kirsty Gregory, 36, of Bartholomew Road, Morecambe, admitting assisting an organised crime group and was sentenced to nine months suspended for 18 months plus 15 rehabilitation days
It followed the first 11 to be sentenced last month:
- Danny Hanley, 30, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs heroin and cocaine and conspiracy to possess firearms and was sentenced to 13 years
- Paul Hoban, 27, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs heroin and cocaine and Conspiracy to Possess firearms and was sentenced to 11 years
- Eric McKevitt, 41, of Hazeldale Road, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs (heroin and cocaine) and conspiracy to possess firearms and was sentenced to five years eight months
- Lyndsey Stephens, 40, of Hazeldale Road, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to participating in the activities of an OCG and was sentenced to eight months suspended for two years and 125 hours unpaid work
- Holly Irving 29, of Katherine Walk, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to offering to supply Class A drugs (Cocaine) to another and was sentenced to 125 hours unpaid work
- Liam Morris, 26, of Lindisfarne Drive, West Derby, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A controlled drugs (heroin and cocaine) and was sentenced to five years nine months
- Paul Wright, 56, of Thursby Crescent, Southdene, Kirkby, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin and possession of a firearm and was sentenced to eight years two months
- Kevin Cooney, 47, of Muirhead Avenue, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to supply Class A controlled drugs (cocaine) and was sentenced to five years eight months
- Jodie Gill, 37, of Leslie Street, Eastbourne, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Cocaine and was sentenced to three years four months
- Mason Si Gill, 47, of Leslie Street, Eastbourne, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Cocaine and was sentenced to four years three months
- In addition Paul McEwan, 30, of Dwerryhouse Lane, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A (heroin) and was sentenced at an earlier hearing to four years in prison.
Following the latest sentencing, Merseyside Police's DCI Mark Drew said: “This was a significant and impactful investigation that has seen a total of 30 people sentenced to over 150 years behind bars.
“This organised crime group, who were based primarily in Norris Green, brought misery to the streets of Merseyside and beyond by dealing Class A drugs and arming themselves with potentially lethal weapons.
"Their only consideration was financial gain and with no thought for the impact on others.
“We know the destruction that drug dealing brings to our communities. Those involved in the supply of drugs and use of weapons have no regard for the lives they affect and the harm they can cause, and we are committed to pursuing those involved in serious and organised crime and bringing them to justice.
“Today’s sentences, following an in-depth investigation, shows the level of our commitment and how seriously this type of activity is viewed by the courts."
