High Wycombe man jailed for 12 years over cocaine conspiracy

Two other men were sentenced in December 2021.

Author: Henry WinterPublished 5th Aug 2022

A man has been sentenced for a drug conspiracy in Buckinghamshire, following a Thames Valley Police investigation,

Today (5/8) at Aylesbury Crown Court, Josh Vaux, aged 26, of Hillary Road, High Wycombe, was found sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment.

Vaux was found guilty following a trial last week of one count of conspiracy to supply a class A controlled drug, namely cocaine.

Vaux’s activity was discovered as a result of information that Thames Valley Police received following Operation Venetic which was a response to the takedown of an encrypted platform called EnchroChat.

He was involved in ordering and purchasing cocaine between March 2020 and August 2020 and regularly met with two other men to exchange the drug, and cash, in the High Wycombe, Aylesbury and Princes Risborough areas.

The two other men were sentenced in December 2021.

Zaakir Shah, aged 25, formerly of Risborough Road, Little Kimble; and Scott Bryant, aged 60, formerly of Coronet Road, Broughton, Aylesbury, pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to supply a class A controlled drug, namely cocaine. They were both sentenced to seven and a half years’ imprisonment.

In August 2020, a number of warrants were carried out at addresses linked to the three men.

Just under 400g of cocaine with scales and packaging was recovered along with approximately £21,000 in cash.

A VW Golf and a Mercedes van were seized. Officers found a device inside the car that was designed to detect the radio frequency of police vehicles and inside the van they found a hidden compartment which is believed to be how Vaux transported and concealed the drugs.

Vaux was arrested on 25 August 2020 and charged on 5 March 2021.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Beck Hurley-Brydon, of the Serious Organised Crime Unit, said: “I am pleased that Vaux has received a custodial sentence as a result of a brilliant proactive investigation by the Serious Organised Crime Unit.

“Vaux was part of a group who utilised sophisticated technology to commit their crimes and he will now join his two counterparts in prison. They were convicted and sentenced at the end of last year.

“I hope this serves as an example that we do not tolerate the purchasing and distribution of drugs in our communities and will work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice."

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