Five men who were all concerned in the organised distribution of heroin and crack cocaine via a county line running between London and Manchester since January 2021 have been jailed.
The five,all based in London were apprehended following telephone analysis and analysing CCTV footage, which established that the group were operating as part of an Organised Crime Group, facilitating the supply of Class A drugs.
Through analysis of mobile phone data, it was established that those involved were regularly travelling from London to Manchester and would canvas their customer base by sending bulk messages advertising drugs for sale.
In November 2021, officers from GMP’s Tactical Vehicle Intervention Unit stopped a Honda Civic in Sanbrook Retail Park, Romford. Yamoah, the driver of the vehicle, was consequently arrested after being identified as one of the drug line holders.
A further three warrants were carried out at addresses in Angel Gardens, Manchester and Promenade Street, Heywood. Officers recovered a large quantity of Class A drugs including heroin and cocaine. A Rambo knife and an imitation firearm were also found at one of the properties.
Investigating Officer PC Nick Stylianou said: “Our coordinated response with colleagues from GMP has illustrated the great results we can achieve, when we work collaboratively with our partner forces.
“This proactive operation identified that the group were dealing Class A drugs over an 11-month period, living lavish lifestyles, funded by criminality. The extensive work involved in the case, we hope, demonstrates our commitment to tackling this crime, which is heavily linked to exploitation and serious violence leading to untold misery.
“We are pleased with the sentences passed by the courts, and hope it acts as a deterrent to those who partake in this type of reckless behaviour. Those involved will face the full force of the law.”
Detective Inspector Roger Smethurst of GMPs Serious Organised Crime Group added: “No matter how coordinated you think your criminal enterprise is, police forces are actively collaborating and sharing intelligence. We will dismantle your organisation and bring you to justice.
“We know that when we seize these items or put people behind bars, that we can’t stop there. These people are profiting from some of the most vulnerable people in our communities and we will continue to pursue every level of criminality involved in the distribution of drugs.”
