£2.5m drugs plotter jailed as his twin remains on run
A MAN accused of heading a multimillion pound drugs gang remains on the run – as his twin brother begins a jail term.
Jamal Anderson fled the country on a one-way ticket to Alicante, Spain – bought by his twin brother Marcus who flew with him – in June last year. However, Marcus Anderson, of Brooklawn Drive, Prestwich, returned voluntarily and later pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine.
The 33-year-old has now been jailed for nine years by a court which heard that Jamal, who is believed to still be abroad, led a conspiracy which used criminals across England to traffick cocaine around the north and the midlands.
Marcus Anderson was jailed alongside fellow plotter Andre Knott, 33, of Haughton Road, Crumpsall, who got seven years after admitting conspiracy to supply.
Their criminal network was smashed when GMP officers secretly filmed one of the gang making 13 handovers of cocaine or cash in the same sports holdall.
During the investigation, around 15kg of cocaine – with a street value of £2.5m - was recovered. As a result, five members of the Manchester gang have been convicted, plus five criminals from other organised crime groups further afield.
Sentencing, Judge Martin Rudland said: “It was a sophisticated, well-organised and very well equipped operation. Everyone who needed to played their part.”
The gang used burner phones and sim card encryption in a bid to keep the authorities at bay.
Judge Rudland paid tribute to the work of investigating officers who managed to crack the system, which he said was designed to create ‘numerical chaos.’
Other members of the Manchester gang included Jason Eddison, 48, of Bridson Street, Salford, described as a ‘courier,’ Brian Gummery, 30, of Whittle Street, Walkden, and Lee Shawcross, 22, of Morecambe Close, Newton Heath.
Previously Eddison was jailed for eight years for conspiracy to supply cocaine, Gummery was jailed for 18 months, suspended for two years for being concerned in the supply of cocaine, and Shawcross received six years in a young offenders institute for possession of cocaine with intent to supply.
Yorkshire drugs boss David Mangham, 45, of Sowgate Lane, Knottingley, was previously jailed for 18 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine and possessing a prohibited weapon.
Luke Bullock, 32, of Denby Bank, Ripley, Derbyshire, was jailed for 13 years for conspiracy cocaine after trial.
Phillip Gasson, 34, of Woodlands, Newark, Nottinghamshire, was convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to supply and jailed for six years.
Drugs courier Ceri O’Hara, 36, and her driver, Chrissie Elstob, 35, both of Pontefract, were both jailed for conspiracy to supply cocaine, for five and three years respectively. to supply