COCAINE GANG CRUSHED
13 JAILED AFTER £124K CASH HAUL FOUND IN CASE
A FORMER professional rugby league player whose career was cut short by injury has been jailed after he headed up a huge cocaine conspiracy.
Robert Foxen, 30, is one of 13 people who have been sentenced to a total of 77 years for their part in the ‘carefully executed’ ring intending to flood the streets of Greater Manchester and East Lancashire with the class A drug.
The former Salford Red Devils player, who also played for Swinton Lions and Oldham Roughyeds, was ‘at the head of the operation’ with ‘overall responsibility’ and co-ordinated the delivery and distribution of the drug.
The conspiracy was only brought to light when £124,000 was found in a suitcase under the bed of Foxen’s righthand man Alan McNally.
Patrick O’Leary and Adam Ward reported to Foxen and McNally – described as ‘the money man’ responsible for collecting and managing the cash generated by the drugs empire.
Previously, in September 2016, seven kilos of cocaine were found in a car which had just been handed over by Foxen’s ‘trusted assistant’ O’Leary, 50. Police said the arrest of the driver, Anthony Hamnet, ‘sparked panic among the other key players’ but they had no idea detectives were closing in on their safe house on Maranatha Court in Eccles, where another five kilos of the drug were later found, in February 2017.
In the months that followed, Foxen and McNally, 31, thought they had hidden their involvement thanks to their military-grade encrypted phones with officers close to the investigation saying they ‘continued to live a lavish lifestyle while their couriers were at risk of detection.’
During an eventual search of McNally’s home, £124,000 in cash was found stashed in a suitcase under his bed, alongside a detailed tick-list with how much cash he had counted for each drug deal.
The operation was finally brought to a halt in November 2017 as a result of a investigation by GMP, called Operation Legend.
Twelve defendants were jailed after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs:
Robert Foxen, 30, of Rocky Lane, Eccles, was jailed for 10 years.
Alan McNally, 31, of Overdale, Swinton, was jailed six years and eight months.
Patrick O’Leary, 50, of Adelaide Street, Swinton, was sentenced to seven years and four months.
Andrew Booth, 35, of Sandy Lane, Prestwich, was sentenced to six years and four months.
Adam Ward, 30, of Mitchell Street, Eccles, was jailed for six years.
Michael Grattan, 31, of Lower Clough Street, Barrowford, Burnley, was jailed for six years.
Dean Ashworth, 31, of Garnett Street, Burnley, was sentenced to six years in prison for conspiracy to supply class A drugs, possession of class B drugs, and possession of a prohibited weapon (CS gas spray).
Liam Carroll, 20, of Prestwich Street, Burnley, was jailed for six years.
Jordan Roberts, 26, of Sutherland Street, Eccles, was jailed for four years for conspiracy to supply class A drugs and production of class B drugs.
Dean McKenna, 51, of Dover Street, Eccles, was sentenced to four years behind bars.
Andrew Grantham, 40, of Dovedale Ave, Eccles, was jailed for four years, 10 months.
Jason Wilson, of Barton Road, Eccles, was jailed for four years for conspiracy to supply class A drugs and production of class B drugs.
Anthony Hamnet, 33, of Harold Street, Prestwich, was sentenced to seven years in prison at a previous hearing.
Passing sentence, Judge Hilary Manley said: “This was a sophisticated and carefully executed operation to supply cocaine in very large quantities in the Greater Manchester area and elsewhere in the north west.”