Heroin and cocaine ‘hotline’ gang jailed
MEN LOCKED UP FOLLOWING RAIDS IN TOWN EARLIER THIS YEAR
FOUR more men involved in a ‘drugs hotline’ selling cocaine and heroin have been jailed.
Tens of thousands of calls were made to one designated mobile phone during a 12-month period to arrange Class A drug sales in Oldham.
In the early hours of February 28, 50 officers carried out raids across the town, resulting in a number of seizures, including drugs, cash and items linked to drugs supply such as scales and powders for cutting drugs.
Mobile phone analysis established a designated phone line was being used in connection with the supply of class A drugs including cocaine, heroin and crack cocaine.
The four men involved in the drugs hotline have now appeared at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court to be sentenced.
Ryan Robinson, 29, of Moor Street, Shaw, was the leader of the operation who instructed those under him who to deal drugs to.
He was handed six-and-a-half years in prison.
Daren Stothard, 47, of Albert Avenue, Shaw, who took over the running of the phone line when Robinson was jailed for an unconnected matter, received four-and-a-half years in prison.
Jayden Ferrier, 22, of St Mary’s Street, Oldham, a street-level dealer in the operation, was sentenced to four years behind bars. After pleading guilty at an earlier hearing, Ian Noble, 34, of Vulcan Street, Derker, also a street-level dealer, was jailed for threeand-a-half years. In April, an associate of the group, Lewis O’Connor, appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court for being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, possession with the intent to supply class A and class B drugs and possession of a prohibited weapon – CS spray. O’Connor, 24, of Peveril Road, Det Sgt Rick Arthern Oldham, was jailed for six years last month.
Det Sgt Rick Arthern, of GMP’s Challenger Oldham Team, said: “We will continue in our fight to dismantle the processes and tactics used by organised crime groups at every opportunity, no matter how sophisticated or established they try to be.
“Without the public coming forward, these people would not have been prosecuted so I’d like to express my heartfelt thanks to those who have helped us put a stop to organised crime.
“With that help, we can investigate and infiltrate the operations of those who benefit from the proceeds of crime.”
If you have information about criminality in your area, contact police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.