Mastermind made £450k from heroin and cocaine
ADRUGS boss who banked £450,000 peddling heroin and crack cocaine in Macclesfield has been jailed.
Michael Mushrow, 32, ran a class A drug conspiracy from his home in Southport.
Over seven months he made daily visits to Macclesfield to run a team of street dealers, which included his own nephew, Adam Bennett, 19.
Mushrow was helped by his ‘trusted assistant’ Stephen Conlan, 43, who acted as courier.
Police smashed the racket during raids at addresses in Macclesfield and Liverpool, including the home of Mushrow’s sister Jennifer Catherine Eaton, 37, where officers found £20,000 in cash and seven large drugs packets.
At Warrington Crown Court Mushrow and Conlan admitted conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine.
Mushrow was jailed for eight years, while Conlan was locked up for four years and nine months.
Bennett, 19, of Fulwood Way, Litherland in Liverpool, got two years in a young offenders institute suspended for 12 months and a three month curfew after admitting supplying heroin and cocaine.
Eaton, 37, was given a 12 month community order after admitting concealing criminal property.
Sentencing Judge Tina Landale said: “This was a conspiracy with wide ranging consequences for people living in Macclesfield. Mushrow, you had a leading role. You used six vehicles and a number of phones and had £20,000 stored at your sister’s house.
“You were prepared to involve her in the murky business and exposed her to a dreadful risk. Conlan, you were well trusted for good reason and were key to the organisation.”
Simon Parry, prosecuting, said: “The graft was active for 223 days and sold between 14 and 20g of drugs per day in Macclesfield, which was up to 4.4kg, turning over up to £446,000.
“The hierarchy was Mushrow as the controller, Conlan as his trusted assistant and a team of foot soldiers. A flare text message would go out indicated the team was open for business.”
Gareth Roberts, defending Mushrow, said: “He is very ashamed, contrite and scared for his family, which includes a wife and three children. He started running a pub and befriended the Liverpool drugs underworld. He vouched for a drug dealer and they came to him for the debt.”
Ms Alton, defending Conlan, said he was a courier paying off a drug debt who was given paid £80 for each trip.
Mark Connor, defending Bennett, said he was easily led by his uncle.
Ms Alton, defending Eaton said packages of drugs and money were delivered to her house also in Litherland, Liverpool, by an ‘intimidating’ man.
Speaking after the sentencing DC Gordon Livingston said: “Michael Mushrow ran an organised criminal network and exploited young or vulnerable people to carry out his dirty work for him on the streets of Macclesfield.
“The message is clear – Cheshire Police will not tolerate this sort of activity on the streets of the county and we will do all we can to put a stop to it.
“The mistake Mushrow made was to assume that he was safe to ply his trade in Macclesfield and evade capture.
“He now has a lengthy period of time in prison to reflect on his actions and realise he was not as safe as he thought.”