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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Gang jailed for cocaine smuggling | Gang jailed for cocaine smuggling |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Nine members of a drugs gang who were involved in smuggling cocaine into north Wales have been jailed. | |
| The ringleaders were two men from Flintshire who ran a car wash business. Both were sentenced to 10 years. | The ringleaders were two men from Flintshire who ran a car wash business. Both were sentenced to 10 years. |
| The gang, who earlier either admitted or were convicted of involvement in supplying cocaine, was caught after an undercover police operation. | |
| Mold Crown Court heard drugs were bought in Liverpool, then brought into Anglesey, Flintshire and Denbighshire. | Mold Crown Court heard drugs were bought in Liverpool, then brought into Anglesey, Flintshire and Denbighshire. |
| A further gang member is due to be sentenced on Wednesday. | A further gang member is due to be sentenced on Wednesday. |
| Andrew Ross, 35, of Hawarden, Flintshire; James Nevitt, 34, from Holywell, Flintshire; Andrew Palmerr, 28, of Rhyl, Denbighshire and 21-year-old Daniel Williams, from Bagillt in Flintshire, all admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine at an earlier hearing. | Andrew Ross, 35, of Hawarden, Flintshire; James Nevitt, 34, from Holywell, Flintshire; Andrew Palmerr, 28, of Rhyl, Denbighshire and 21-year-old Daniel Williams, from Bagillt in Flintshire, all admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine at an earlier hearing. |
| Judge John Rogers QC said Ross and Nevitt, who ran a car wash business, were the driving forces behind the conspiracy, and were both sentenced to 10 years in prison. | Judge John Rogers QC said Ross and Nevitt, who ran a car wash business, were the driving forces behind the conspiracy, and were both sentenced to 10 years in prison. |
| 'Telephone evidence' | 'Telephone evidence' |
| He said: "The two of you, from the observation and telephone evidence were at the very heart of this conspiracy." | He said: "The two of you, from the observation and telephone evidence were at the very heart of this conspiracy." |
| Anthony Palmer, who helped collect, dilute and distribute the drugs, received seven years. | Anthony Palmer, who helped collect, dilute and distribute the drugs, received seven years. |
| Daniel Williams, who was given cocaine by Ross and Nevitt and then went on to deliver and store packages for them, received five years. | Daniel Williams, who was given cocaine by Ross and Nevitt and then went on to deliver and store packages for them, received five years. |
| The cocaine, with a 57% purity, was brought into Wales from Liverpool. | The cocaine, with a 57% purity, was brought into Wales from Liverpool. |
| Prosecutor John Philpotts said the cocaine was diluted to about 25% and compressed at a lock-up unit rented by Palmer at Rhuddlan, Denbighshire. | Prosecutor John Philpotts said the cocaine was diluted to about 25% and compressed at a lock-up unit rented by Palmer at Rhuddlan, Denbighshire. |
| He then passed the tablets on to couriers lower down the chain. | He then passed the tablets on to couriers lower down the chain. |
| North Wales Police officers, who had watched the gang for months in Operation Tricorn, intercepted a consignment after it was taken to Rhyl last year. | |
| The court heard the deliveries each had a street value of £9,500. | The court heard the deliveries each had a street value of £9,500. |
| The drugs went from Rhyl to Anglesey and also into Flintshire, where they were further diluted at a house in Halkyn. | The drugs went from Rhyl to Anglesey and also into Flintshire, where they were further diluted at a house in Halkyn. |
| Anglesey garage owner and drug dealer Michael Eccles, 40, of Holyhead and William Coxen, 42, of Kinmel Bay, Conwy, were convicted of being involved in the supply of cocaine at an earlier trial. | Anglesey garage owner and drug dealer Michael Eccles, 40, of Holyhead and William Coxen, 42, of Kinmel Bay, Conwy, were convicted of being involved in the supply of cocaine at an earlier trial. |
| Eccles - who had a previous conviction for drug supply - received four-and-a-half years in prison. | Eccles - who had a previous conviction for drug supply - received four-and-a-half years in prison. |
| Coxen, who was convicted of picking up cocaine from an alleyway in Rhyl and taking it to Holyhead, received two-and-a-half-years. | Coxen, who was convicted of picking up cocaine from an alleyway in Rhyl and taking it to Holyhead, received two-and-a-half-years. |
| Wesley Florence, 20, of Bagillt, received two-and-a-half years, while Craig Hill 23, also of Bagillt and Kieran Foulkes, 18, of Halkyn, were both sentenced to 18 months, after all admitted being involved in supplying cocaine. | Wesley Florence, 20, of Bagillt, received two-and-a-half years, while Craig Hill 23, also of Bagillt and Kieran Foulkes, 18, of Halkyn, were both sentenced to 18 months, after all admitted being involved in supplying cocaine. |
| The case against Gary Watkinson, 30, of Holyhead, who has also been convicted, was adjourned. | The case against Gary Watkinson, 30, of Holyhead, who has also been convicted, was adjourned. |