Gang jailed after sourcing drugs to sell for profit in East Lancashire
Cocaine and ketamine with a street value of £200,000 was seized
A group who sourced drugs from across England to sell for huge profit in East Lancashire have been jailed for nearly 20 years between them.
The Pendle-based crime gang, headed up by Christopher Paul, directed couriers Mohammed Ibrar and Michael Rennie to transport drugs around the country on his behalf.
Mobile phone evidence showed that the couriers met with Paul's criminal associates to exchange significant amounts of drugs and collect thousands of pounds in cash.
Police intervened twice to stop 2kg of cocaine and 2kg of ketamine from hitting the streets.
A stash house was found on Barkerhouse Road in Nelson, which is where Mohammed Yousaf was seen moving packages of Class A drugs.
Officers recovered cocaine and ketamine with a street value of £200,000 - cannabis linked to the group had a street value of around £230,000.
Mobile phone data also revealed messages and pictures relating to their drug-dealing.
They were sentenced to:
- Christopher Paul, 34, of Barkerhouse Road, Nelson, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, ketamine and cannabis. He's been jailed for nine years and six months.
- Mohammed Ibrar, 53, of March Street, Burnley, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, ketamine and cannabis. He's been jailed for five years and three months.
- Michael Rennie, 38, of Whitehough Place, Nelson, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply ketamine and cannabis. He's been jailed for 30 months.
- Mohammed Yousaf, 25, of Chapel Street, Brierfield, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine. He's been jailed for 30 months.
DCI Tom Edmondson, of East Division, said:
"This was a sophisticated drug trafficking operation, headed by Christopher Paul, which was bringing in significant amounts of cocaine, ketamine and cannabis into Pendle to be cut and packaged and then sold on across the country for large profits.
"All the defendants had key roles to the successful running of this criminal conspiracy, which was ultimately identified and dismantled by the hard work and diligence of the investigation team.
"The convictions and subsequent sentences should act as a clear message that East Lancashire should not be seen as a safe place for OCGs to operate, we will identify your operation, however hidden you may think it is, and we will put all of your operatives before the courts."