Head of Merseyside crime group jailed after nearly five years on the run
Francis Coggins was extradited from the Netherlands to be sentenced
One of the two brothers who led a Merseyside-based organised crime group has been jailed for 18 years - after spending nearly five years on the run.
Francis Coggins, 60, originally from Stockbridge Village, was arrested in the Netherlands earlier this year and extradited back to the UK.
Francis and his younger brother Vincent sat at the head of the organised crime group known was the Huyton Firm.
Vincent is already serving a 28-year sentence for his role in the conspiracy.
Francis, based from the Netherlands, organised the importation of wholesale, multi-kilo quantities of cocaine and heroin into the UK.
Between 1 March 2020 and 17 June 2020, he arranged the importation of more than a tonne of Class A drugs, which a minimum wholesale value of more than £16million.
While Vincent focused on the supply of Class A drugs across England, Wales and Scotland, Francis dealt directly with buyers, negotiating prices and credit terms.
Recovered messages showed how the brothers coordinated their criminal enterprise, with couriers and associates in the UK handling distribution and money collection.
There were also people based abroad who imported drugs into the UK via a legitimate courier service.
Parcels were posted to addresses in the North West to make sure they arrived at a particular depot.
A corrupt employer, Daniel Taylor, within the courier company would then find the relevant boxes and remove them from the depot, handing them to Darren Roberts waiting outside.
The drugs were then passed to Stephen Metcalf, on behalf of Christopher Gibney, before being taken to a 'safe house' managed by Paul Glynn.
Taylor, Roberts, and Metcalf were collectively jailed for 45 years in March 2021, with Gibney receiving a 21-year sentence in June 2024 after being arrested in the Costa Del Sol and extradited to the UK following more than three years on the run.
The conspiracy began to unravel after a violent raid one of the Coggins' stash houses on Croxdale Road West in Huyton.
During the robbery, around 30kg of cocaine was stolen which had a street value of more than £1million.
The Cox brothers - Richard Caswell and Ben Monks-Gorton - were later jailed for more than 40 years in August 2023 after a Greater Manchester Police investigation into the robbery and the machete attacks carried out on the occupants.
In the aftermath of the robbery, Vincent Coggins wrongly suspected innocent people of being involved.
He threatened them, and under this pressure the group went on to extort a property worth more than £1million, in exchange for their safety.
Francis was regularly updated on the fallout, while Vincent led efforts to recover the missing drugs or their financial equivalent.
Although Francis was no longer with involvement in the blackmail conspiracy, EncroChat messages show he was kept up to date with the threats and intimidation carried out by his brother and associates.
They also showed the brothers' equal standing in the organisation, each with their own areas of responsibility, but with Francis often setting prices and approving deals.
In sentencing Francis Coggins, His Honour Judge Trevor Jones said:
"You were a leading figure in each of these conspiracies, and that is not disputed. You described the importation as being ‘your enterprise’. The drugs were under your control and were imported on an almost daily basis.
"This was a sophisticated operation"
"This was a sophisticated operation. The amount of drugs imported under the indictment was at least one metric tonne, with a minimum wholesale value in excess of £16 million. The purity was expected to be around 55%.
"As far as your organised crime group is concerned, you were directing and organising the buying and selling of these drugs on a commercial scale. You had subordinate links to others in the chain, and you had clear expectations of substantial financial gain.
"There is a clear indication that your role was firmly within the leading category, comparable to your brother. As far as harm is concerned, there is no real dispute. Even on a conservative estimate, the amount of cocaine and diamorphine supplied was approximately 350 kilograms during the conspiracy.
Detective Chief Inspector Dave Worthington, formerly with the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, said:
"Francis Coggins thought he could evade justice by remaining on the run for five years, but this sentencing proves that there is nowhere to hide. He played a pivotal role in importing vast quantities of cocaine and heroin into the UK, fuelling misery in our communities.
"The Coggins OCG’s activities spanned Merseyside, the wider UK and Scotland, with drugs imported from Europe and distributed through a network of couriers and stash houses.
"While Francis Coggins’ sentencing represents the dismantling of the group’s leadership, one individual, Francis Parker, 40, from Huyton, connected to the case remains wanted. We believe he may be abroad in Holland or Spain. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
"Today’s sentence brings the total sentencing for Operation Subzero to more than 170 years. Together with our partners, we will relentlessly pursue those who bring drugs and violence into our communities, no matter how long it takes."