Last three defendants in nationwide drugs operation sentenced

Three men who formed part of an organised crime group involved in the supply of class A drugs were sentenced on Friday (14 January) at Northampton Crown Court.

A routine stop check on the A46 in August 2018 marked the culmination of an investigation by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) which focussed on an organised crime group which was supplying class A drugs into Leicestershire and Hertfordshire from Nottinghamshire, Merseyside and Cambridgeshire.

During the police operation more than a kilogram of cocaine stamped ‘Gold’ was seized from a Mercedes, near Castle Donington, half a kilogram of heroin was recovered from an Astra near Leicester and £35,000 was found hidden in a dustbin in Liverpool.

In addition, half a kilogram of cocaine and £8,500 cash was recovered, which was thrown out of a Mercedes by a defendant who was convicted in 2019, just before he climbed up a tree to escape from officers.

During the lengthy police investigation into the main players in the organised crime group Reece Fraser, Jay Taylor and Vincent Robinson were found to be involved in the collection and delivery of the illegal drugs.

All three men pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of class A drugs namely cocaine in November 2021. 

Fraser (32) of Acacia Drive, Nottingham was sentenced to three years and four months in prison, however, due to the time served on remand he would not need to serve any additional term in prison. 

Taylor (34) of Carnarvon Grove, Carlton, Nottingham and Robinson (59) of First Avenue, Carlton, Nottingham were both sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years.  They were also both ordered to complete unpaid work.

Previously nine men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. At Leicester Crown Court, between Wednesday 20 and Friday 29 November 2019, they were sentenced, as follows:

• Michael Graham (39) and formerly of Derby Road, Liverpool, was jailed for 12 years.
• Kristian Lynas King (47) formerly of Forest Gate in Anstey, Leicester, was jailed for nine years and eight months.
• Kulraj Gill (48) formerly of Fox Hollow in Oadby, Leicester, was jailed for four years and 10 months
• Deon Farrow (29) formerly of Willow Brook Road in Leicester, was jailed for seven years and eight months
• Neil Falanga (40) formerly of Aldeburgh Close, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, was jailed for six years.
• Marc Fleetwood (34) formerly of Rice Lane in Liverpool, was jailed for five years and nine months.
• Akbar Pathan (37) formerly of Mount Avenue in Leicester, was jailed for two years and six months.
• Ameen Jogee (32) formerly of London Road, Leicester, was jailed for two years and four months.
• Ameed Hussain (33) formerly of Windmill Street, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, was jailed for four years.

A tenth man was acquitted.

EMSOU Detective Chief Inspector James Avery said: “This was an organised group of drug dealers with national reach.

“Now that all those involved have been dealt with by the courts, and heroin and cocaine with a street value of £170,000 removed from circulation, we see yet another criminal enterprise dismantled and communities across the country no longer suffering the harm caused by them.

“But we’re not stopping there. The next stop is recovering their criminal proceeds through the Proceeds of Crime Act.”