A drugs gang leader who fled to the Caribbean on the day he was due to be sentenced is now behind bars after being successfully extradited
Nicholas Knowles aged 32 of Bowness Road, Ashton Under Lyne and the head of the ‘Tommy’ drugs line gang, denied conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine, he stood trial at Bolton Crown Court in 2018.
Following a four-week trial, it took just hours for the jury to unanimously find him guilty. On the day of his sentencing, he faked an illness to avoid going to court and subsequently fled the UK.
On 9 October 2024, he was located and captured in the Caribbean and has now been brought back to the UK to face justice.
Knowles was dubbed as the head of the crime group, he was the one who was making key decisions and the one who controlled the day to day running of the criminal enterprise which all started in 2013.
Detective Inspector Ian Toole, said: “We are pleased to report that Knowles has been in court to face justice at last after attempting to run away from the justice system, and has now been sentenced.
“His actions and the actions of the crime group blighted our local community and exploited vulnerable people further afield.
“On the day of his sentencing in 2014, he pretended to be ill and using this as an opportunity to flee the country which started an international manhunt to locate him.
“No matter how much time has passed, we won’t give up on finding you. We were assisted using our partner agencies to drag him back to the UK to face justice.
“If you are a criminal that has fled the UK to live in another country and thinks they can enjoy a life of luxury, you can’t, we will find you and bring you back to face justice. It is only a matter of time before there will be a knock at your door and you will be dragged back here to face justice.”
