Drugs raids in Essex and Kent lead to gang members being jailed

During one raid, police cut through a door with a chainsaw

Seven members of a "sophisticated" crime group have been jailed for drug-related offences.

Police discovered a large amount of Class A drugs during various raids by officers in Essex and Kent.

One member was found hiding in a car boot with cash and his passport at Portsmouth ferry port, as he attempted to flee to Spain.

Three men were sentenced this week at Basildon Crown Court and four others were jailed in March.

Essex Police spent two-and-a-half years investigating the gang, who used a network of encrypted usernames, or handles, on their electronic devices.

After law enforcement agencies in Europe unlocked them, officers raided 11 properties across south and west Essex and Kent in October 2022, making a number of arrests.

Large amounts of cash were found during the police raids

Bags of cocaine were also found by officers

Daniel French, 41, of London Road, Leybourne, and Paul Austin, 47, of Burnt Mills Road, Basildon, were at the top of the chain, managing the group and overseeing the supply of drugs, and money laundering.

Encrypted chat logs dated between March and May 2020 showed French and Austin were middle-market dealers, sourcing cocaine in bulk and arranging for its onward distribution to lower-level dealers.

Officers were able to prove French and Austin decided who to buy from and sell to, and arranged for the payment of wages to people working for them.

Austin used his business, a dog breeding clinic, as a hub for the operation. Cash was deposited at the business to be laundered.

The investigation identified 14kg of cocaine purchased by French and Austin. When French was arrested, he was found at Portsmouth ferry port.

Austin and French admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs and money laundering. Austin was handed 12 years and six months in prison, with French getting 11 years and 10 months' imprisonment.

(L-R) Daniel French, Darren Witteridge, Lee Mallin, Malcolm Maxted, Paul Austin, Teresa Kelly and Wesley Nice

Wesley Nice, 45, of Broomfields, Basildon was found responsible for distributing cocaine to customers. He also ran a side business selling drugs to his own customers.

When he was arrested, he was found with £15,000 in cash. He admitted two counts of conspiracy to supply cocaine and money laundering, receiving 12 years and 11 months' imprisonment.

Darren Witteridge was responsible for holding cocaine and followed the orders of Nice. The 45-year-old, of Long Riding, Basildon, was sentenced 11 years and six months in jail for drugs and weapons offences.

Lee Mallin, 42, of Oak Road, Grays was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for conspiracy to supply class A and possession of property.

Teresa Kelly, 50, of Chalk End, Basildon was jailed for conspiracy to supply class A and money laundering, and was jailed for three years and four months.

Malcom Maxted, 50, of Daiglen Drive, South Ockendon was also sentenced to three years' imprisonment for conspiracy to supply class A and possession of property.

Det Sgt Stephen Robson said: "This was a substantial investigation, uncovering a network of criminals who thought they could operate with impunity as they moved vast sums of money and quantities of cocaine."