Jail sentences welcomed after police smash £1.5-million drugs network
Exeter Crown Court has been sentencing 21 members of the group
Last updated 24th Nov 2023
Sentencing has been taking place after police smashed a £1.5-million county lines drugs operation based in the North West and spanning down to Devon and Cornwall.
The Serious and Organised Crime Branch operation prevented 15.4 kilos of heroin and cocaine reaching the West Country's streets - after coordinated arrests between Spring and Autumn last year.
Police dismantled the operation after cracking the communication methods between the members - which Exeter Crown Court heard the group had gone to great lengths to and disguise.
Officers also used surveillance of drug runs to the West Country as part of their evidence gathering, which also saw more than £30,000 of cash recovered.
The key to the dismantling of the operation was police work tracing the methods of communications with the gang - which involved the use of spoofer phones and regular changing of telephone numbers.
The court heard there were more than 40 'drugs lines', with more than 600 'broadcast messages' advertising drugs through mobile phone networks during one six month period in 2021.
Once detectives understood the extent of the operation - which included links to Spain where some of the group would reside - they undertook surveillance of drugs runs to the West Country.
The group would - at times - pretend to be holidaymakers on their trips to the West Country, even travelling in a campervan as they sought to shore up and control their network.
Drugs were found hidden in cars and the network spanned Exmouth, Exeter Teignmouth, Shaldon and Dawlish, as well as parts of North Devon and West Cornwall.
A case of 'cuckooing', where the network took over someone's property, was also discovered. The group included 13 from Liverpool, Cheshire, Lancashire and London and eight from Devon and Cornwall.
Arrests took place in Exeter, outside Finlake holiday park, Camborne, Torbay and also on the M5.
Today the judge told those given suspended sentences: " You are all at a turning point in your lives, this is the point at which you must not go backwards - if you do you will end up back here."