Court Drug dealer ‘Big Reds’ jailed for £300k heroin plot
APROLIFIC drug dealer has been jailed for nine and a half years after conspiring to bring £300,000 worth of heroin and cocaine to the streets across the South West.
Assane Simpson, from Knowle, – know as ‘Big Reds’ – was caught after police saw text messages between him and a Gloucester dealer, Aaron James.
The men discussed selling half a kilogram of cocaine for £19,000 and half a kilogram of heroin in Cheltenham for £50,000.
A cross-county investigation between Gloucestershire police and Avon and Somerset Police was launched.
Painstaking analysis of James’ seized phone linked the two men.
In one example, Simpson sent a photo to James of a quarter of a kilogram of heroin in which he had circled some of the heroin and indicated he was unhappy with the quality.
Officers believe Simpson was a high to mid-level drug dealer, selling large bulk amounts of drugs to lower level drug dealers.
A separate operation had previously recovered half a kilogram of heroin from a man in Exeter, alongside Simpson’s fingerprints on the packaging, proving his reach across the region.
Officers also found scales at Simpson’s home that contained traces of heroin and cocaine.
Simpson was arrested on the M4 near Swindon in June.
He pleaded not guilty to the offences but following a trial at Gloucester Crown Court last week, the jury convicted him after just an hour of deliberation.
He was handed a nine and a half year sentence for conspiring to supply heroin and cocaine, being concerned in the supply of cocaine and possessing false identification.
Earlier this month, Aaron James, 32 and of Nutcroft in Gloucester, was handed a nine-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug and possession with intent to supply a class A drug.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Smith said: “This was another outstanding investigation by our officers, with great assistance from Avon and Somerset colleagues.
“Our Force Crime Operations Team continues to relentlessly target and disrupt criminals who exploit our vulnerable communities. “Exploitative drug networks remain an operational priority for Gloucestershire Constabulary.
“The pain and harm drug dealers cause to communities is abhorrent, they prey on the weak and vulnerable. We will continue to bring the full force of our resources into identifying them, targeting them and disrupting them.”
Investigator PC Andrew Smetham said: “Assane Simpson will be known to many people as Andre, Reds or Big Reds.
“Through working closely with our colleagues from Gloucestershire, we’re delighted that a prolific drug dealer is now behind bars and off Bristol’s streets.
“Illegal drugs cause a huge amount of misery and we welcome the significant sentence handed out, which should act as a warning to others that crime does not pay.”