Cocaine gang jailed for combined 106 years

Nine men who were part of a £53m cocaine supply plot spanning 15 months have been jailed.

The cocaine ring was dismantled after 1kg (2.2lbs) of cocaine was seized by police from a lock-up in Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria.

The men were sentenced to between six and 20 years each in prison on Thursday for conspiring to supply cocaine.

Judge Nicholas Barker told Carlisle Crown Court the men acted "without a care" for the misery their drug dealing would cause.

The police investigation was Cumbria's biggest ever drugs supply probe and one of the UK's largest.

The illegal operation was described as "truly massive" and with an "Amazon-style" level of organisation.

The drugs operation was stopped after Reece Barnes was found with a lock-up full of drugs in Bowness-on-Windermere

Handing down the sentences, Judge Barker said drug dealing destroyed lives and drove other criminal activity, which is why the crime received "lengthy sentences".

He added: "You all knew this when you set out in your drug dealing and supply activities.

"You took that risk for the rewards of profit without a care for the illegality of what you were doing and the misery which would occasion through the supply."

The investigation began in March 2022 after reports that Reece Barnes was selling cocaine in Windermere.

CCTV footage showed Barnes would stash the drugs in a shoebox in a storage unit near his home in the town.

Detectives said he sold the drugs in small amounts, and used the profits to pay for holidays and city breaks.

Detective Chief Superintendent Ian Whitehead, head of North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: “During the course of the investigation we estimated that there were about £50m worth of drugs involved in the conspiracy and we also managed to seize significant quantities of drugs.”

The police seized a number of items over the course of the operation, including 50kg of cocaine

Andrew Stephens, 41, of East Field Drive, Golborne, near Wigan, was jailed for 20 years. He arranged the importation of vast quantities of cocaine into the UK.

Stephen Stockall, 63, of Well Lane, Weaverham, Northwich, was jailed for 12 years. He supplied cocaine to Barnes and had a previous heroin smuggling conviction.

Commercial dealer Reece Barnes, 31, of Elim Grove, Bowness-on-Windermere, was jailed for 12 years.

Daryll Preston, 36, of Hampson Street, Atherton, acted as a broker, connecting suppliers with Barnes. Preston was jailed for 11 years and six months.

Scott Owen, 33, of Salisbury Way, Tyldesley, Greater Manchester, also worked as a broker and was jailed for 14 years and six months.

Thomas Whittaker, 45, of Brierfield, Digmoor, Skelmersdale, was jailed for 12 years.

The gang also used three couriers to move the drugs: Michael Evans, Cain Turner and Anthony Warhurst.

Evans, 36, of Skelmerdale was jailed for six years, while Warhurst, 58, of Knowsley Street, in Leigh, was sentenced to nine years and eight months. Turner, 32, from Greater Manchester but of no fixed address, was jailed for eight years and eight months.

All admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine, other than Scott Owen, who was convicted after a trial.

A tenth man will be sentenced next month for the same offence.