Merseyside based drugs gang jailed for 218 years
Leader Liam Cornett lived the high-life in Spain using the dirty drug money
A crime gang head who exploited vulnerable people to sell drugs while he enjoyed a life of luxury living in Spain and gambling in Monte Carlo has been jailed for 26 years.
A total of 28 offenders involved in a large-scale drugs conspiracy have been sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court following a two-year investigation led by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit into the drug dealing network. They were jailed for a total of 218 years, four months.
NWROCU worked closely with other forces, including Merseyside Police and Devon and Cornwall Police, to build up evidence against members of the group.
Liam Cornett, 29, from Roby Road, Huyton; Michael Rice, 26, from Moses Street, Toxteth and Kieran Eves, 28, of Carriage Close, Hale headed up the organised crime group, whose tentacles spread as far as South Wales, Devon and Cornwall, and Hull using fear and intimidation to sell crack cocaine, heroin and amphetamine.
The investigation was launched after a grenade exploded at a property on Beresford Road in Dingle on 25 March 2017, and a search of the house led police to discover 160kg of amphetamines and 11kg of heroin.
As enquiries into that drugs seizure developed, detectives began to unearth a network of dealers with its own chain of command, and today’s sentencing marks the conclusion of an investigation dedicated to collecting intelligence to bring all those involved to justice.
Officers from NWROCU, together with detectives from Merseyside Police, Devon and Cornwall Police, South Wales Police and Humberside Police, used undercover officers, surveillance, warrants and stop checks to blow the lid on what proved to be a large scale drug dealing business with connections around the UK.
Members of the group were seen transporting drugs and cash around the country in a County Lines operation, while others were observed trying to take thousands of pounds of cash out of the country, to fund Cornett’s extravagant cash-rich lifestyle.
Members of the group were monitored paying for expensive cars with cash, and filmed selling drugs to undercover officers in a series of stings which helped secure their convictions.
Rice was stopped by armed officers in an Audi with Kieran Eves on 4 December 2017 on Smithdown Road and a Glock handgun was recovered from the car, along with ammunition. A stun gun was also seized after a warrant at Craig Gowland’s home.
On his arrest, Cornett himself was wearing a Rolex watch valued at around £55,000, and police seized a number of ill-gotten gains including watches, cars and cash.
Detective Inspector Paul McVeigh said: “Today marks the end of one of the longest and most extensive investigations ever undertaken by NWROCU.
“Together with our colleagues at Merseyside Police, Devon and Cornwall Police, South Wales Police and Humberside Police, our officers and staff invested a huge amount of time and effort into putting these offenders behind bars. We were able to present to the court a wealth of damning evidence of their activities and I want to take this opportunity to thank all those officers involved. They have made the streets safer and we should all be grateful for that.
“Undercover officers observed them meeting to arrange for drugs to be dealt around Merseyside and transported further afield, and officers intercepted attempts to take cash overseas intended to supplement Cornett’s lifestyle.
“This group went to great lengths to try to avoid detection, including the use of sophisticated mobile phone technology specifically designed to hide their identities . Unfortunately for them, our detectives were one step ahead and able to track their movements and monitor their activities. By the end of the investigation, we had analysed five million lines of phone data, representing calls and texts made by the group.
DI McVeigh added: “For a time, Cornett enjoyed a lavish lifestyle off the back of the misery of others, living most of the year in Spain, driving expensive cars and wearing expensive watches. But his web of conspiracy and deceit quickly unravelled.
“While he made some last ditch efforts to pretend he dealt only cannabis and no Class A drugs, in a desperate attempt to reduce his sentence, he failed to pull the wool over the eyes of police or the courts.
“And as families in the communities this group terrorised gather to enjoy the festive period with their family and friends, Cornett, Rice, Eves and the rest of this group will be eating Christmas dinner off tin plate at Her Majesty’s Pleasure - and will be for many Christmases to come."
Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Ian Critchley said: "Today is the culmination of a lengthy and extremely thorough investigation in which officers from our force and others have worked tirelessly to protect the public from this group. I want to take this opportunity thank them and the Crown Prosecution Service for all their dedication and hard work.
“My message to anyone tempted to exploit others to sell drugs to vulnerable people to make a quick buck is quite simple: it is not worth the risk.
“The small term gains will only bring you the long term pain of a lengthy prison sentence, and with it time away from your loved ones and a criminal record.
"Whether you are operating in Merseyside, or trying to ply your wares at the other end of the country or abroad, we will work with other police forces and relevant authorities to identify your criminality and bring you to justice.
“I hope the jailing of this group today sends a very clear message to anyone who thinks that the use of technology or distance is any barrier to justice being served.
“Drug dealers often use violence and intimidation, and firearms to try to keep themselves in business. Merseyside and indeed other areas of the country are a safer place now that this group are behind bars.
“But it is not the communities themselves who should ever be living in fear – it is those criminals we are pursuing who should be constantly looking over their shoulders, fearful of when - not if - the police will catch up with them.
“Now that this group are behind bars where they belong, we will not rest on our laurels. Our work to disrupt offenders intent on criminality goes on day in, day out.
“We will not stand for it and the decent, hard-working people in our communities will not stand for it. We call on those communities to come forward if they know of people who appear to be living far beyond their means, or appear to be engaging in suspicious activity on a regular basis.
“Don’t let them get away with it while you are working hard to make an honest living and provide for your family.
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