Cocaine gang who hid behind fake company jailed
- Published
Ring leader Craig Gallagher was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court along with three accomplices
A cocaine dealing gang who set up a fake computer company to cover up their operations has been jailed.
The group, who leased premises in Widnes, Cheshire, even had fleece jackets made with the company name on - Clarke Computers and Software Limited.
They were caught after police intercepted the EncroChat encrypted messaging network.
Ring leader Craig Gallagher was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court along with three accomplices on Wednesday.
Gallagher, 36, of Inchape Road, Liverpool, admitted trafficking drugs and guns and was jailed for 24 years.
The court heard he admitted trying to broker the sales of firearms including an AR-15 assault rifle, AK47s, Glock handguns, a Skorpion machine pistol and self-loading pistols.
He also imported at least 100kg of cocaine with a street value of around £8m.
Some of the cocaine found by detectives
Police waded through 40,000 messages to and from Gallagher's EncroChat handles, discovering the gang leased an industrial unit in Trafalgar Court, Widnes.
He was arrested at Manchester Airport on 27 January 2021 as he waited to board a flight to Dubai.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) said the gang used a Renault Twingo with a specially built hide under the front passenger seat to move the drugs, and also used a breakdown truck as a cover in the pandemic.
Christopher Van Maren, 41, of Rhodesia Road, Liverpool, was jailed for 12 years after he admitted supplying cocaine and transferring criminal property.
Marcus Allen, 29, of Grey Road, Liverpool, was jailed for eight years for transporting at least £686,500 worth of drugs. He admitted supplying cocaine and transferring criminal property.
Wesley Campbell, 39, of Castle Green, Warrington, was sentenced to 12 years after admitting drug dealing.
Three other men linked to the network are scheduled to return to Liverpool Crown Court to be sentenced on 18 September.
Mike Beigan, of the NCA, said the men "formed a very dangerous and damaging criminal organisation".
He added: "They brought in industrial volumes of cocaine that have no doubt contributed to further waves of crime and misery in our communities."
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