Two Nottingham men who posed as key workers in order to transport and sell millions of pounds worth of cocaine during lockdown have been jailed. Stephen Lees, of Bilborough, and Matthew Whorlow, of Strelley, took part in an international operation, collecting drugs coming from Europe and distributing them around the UK in 2020, a court heard.
They ran the operation from a small flat in Bulwell, with Lees recruiting Whorlow, a highways worker, to provide cover when national Covid restrictions threatened to strangle his operation. Between March and June 2020 regional detectives established that the pair had supplied cocaine with a street value of more than £4.5million to organised criminal gangs in Nottinghamshire, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands.
One day in May 2020 the pair were caught on CCTV wearing distinctive high visibility trousers as they drove in the van containing several sets of temporary traffic lights. They returned to Lees’ flat with a box and bag containing 20 kilograms of cocaine which were later sold on.
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On June 11, Lees used the same ruse to collect 21 kilograms from a contact at Kettering Service Station. However, on this occasion police were lying in wait outside Lees’ flat in, Springhead Court. Inside they recovered the drugs and more than £90,000 in cash that was hidden under the floorboards.
In a desperate bid to escape, Lees jumped from a window and sustained a broken ankle as a result. Whorlow was implicated after detectives linked him to the crime with evidence found in Lees’ flat. This included an encrypted ‘encrochat’ mobile phone used to communicate with other criminals.
Appearing at Harrow Crown Court on Friday, March 25, Lees, of Hoylake Crescent, was jailed for 13 years and two months. Whorlow, 40, of Goldham Road was jailed at an earlier hearing for ten years and nine months.
Detective Inspector Mark Adas, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “It goes without saying that most drug dealers prefer to operate in the shadows – keeping a low profile doing all they can to avoid drawing attention to themselves.
“However, Lees and Whorlow adopted the very bold approach of operating in plain sight and driving around openly in a very distinctive vehicle.
“It was clear that they saw this approach as a way to blend-in during lock-down, when far fewer cars were on the road and tight restrictions were placed on individuals’ freedoms.
“As most people remained at home and thousands of others lost their lives, Lees and Whorlow used the pandemic as an opportunity to commit very serious criminal acts.
“I am delighted that they have now been brought to justice and that a very significant quantity of drugs have been taken off the streets.”
