TWENTY-one members of a Warwickshire-based drugs trafficking gang have been jailed for a combined total of 165 years and seven months.
Throughout the investigation officers seized drugs with a street value of £1.3million and £10,000 in cash as well as 15 firearms and associated ammunition. In summing up, the judge estimated the gang transported 60kg of class A drugs during the period investigated.
The five year investigation, which looked into drug trafficking from Merseyside to Warwickshire, West Midlands, Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire, was led by Warwickshire Police Serious Organised Crime Unit and concluded last week.
Christopher Reeve, 44, formerly of Montgomery Drive in Rugby, was head of the gang and he orchestrated the supply from Liverpool and the Bickerstaffe area. When he was not available, his partner Sarah Reeve, 40, formerly of the same address, would step in to run the operation.
Despite being in prison, Garvey Thompson, 42, illegally obtained a phone to control the drug supply line into Warwickshire. There was also evidence he had planned for drugs to be delivered into the prison by drone.
The investigation proved Christopher Reeve and Thompson were orchestrating this line from October 2017 to September 2018.
The policing operation hit the gang at every level, from Christopher Reeve, Thompson and accomplice David Burdett from Daventry at the top of the chain right down to street dealers. Seven of the gang were from Warwick district.
This included Warwick man Oliver Bailey, 31, formerly of Landor Road, and Leamington men Tony Wilshire, 30, previously of Kingsley Road, Lewis Mowat, 30, previously of Rugby Road, Manjinder Jaiya, 27, previously of Rinill Close, Warren Brown, 25, formerly of Mason Avenue, and Alay Kifle, 27, previously of Waterton Way.
Another Leamington man was jailed for 15 years after being found guilty of conspiracy to supply drugs, but this is currently subject to appeal.
Christopher Reeve and Thompson employed couriers – including Mowat, Burdett, and Rugby man Thomas Bash, 71, previously of Wortley Close – to carry out supply runs across county borders.
Officers analysed phone records that showed more than 14,000 communications took place between Christopher Reeve and the other defendants. The content of many of these was believed to be planning drug runs across the country.
Officers also managed to link many of these messages to trips made by the defendants which they believe were drug deliveries.
The phone analysis and a covert operation helped to piece together all the players in the operation.
The longest sentence went to Christopher Reeve, who was jailed for 17 years having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply controlled drugs and possession of a firearm.
Detective Sergeant Sarah Wolsey from Warwickshire Police said: “This was a long and complex investigation that has helped to bring down a major drug supply network worth millions of pounds.
“We took out criminals at every level of this sophisticated operation – from the top man, Christopher Reeve, to the runners who were doing his dirty work on the streets.
“The result was thanks to the dedication of everyone involved who worked tirelessly to secure evidence and bring these dangerous offenders to justice. They never lost focus on their role in protecting people from harm and reducing the detrimental impact of drugs and violence in our communities.”
