Andrew Stephens, 41, was one of nine men handed jail terms totalling more than 100 years yesterday after their roles in a massive £53m nationwide cocaine supply plot – described in court as an ‘Amazon-style’ dealing network – were laid bare following a drug seizure in the Lake District.
During the 15-month criminal enterprise, cocaine weighing more than 300kg was imported into UK ports, warehoused and then distributed to towns and cities across England, Wales and Scotland by organised crime group (OCG) members seeking to rake in vast profits.
But the conspiracy was blown apart and the culprits rounded up after 1kg of cocaine was seized last February in Bowness-on-Windermere, where stashes had been stored in a lock-up by Cumbrian ‘regional retailer’ Reece Barnes, 31.
Police made arrests and seized phones which allowed them to amass damning evidence as part of a probe codenamed Operation Matrix. This revealed the true scale of a plot described as ‘truly massive’. Prosecutor Tim Evans told Carlisle Crown Court: “This is Amazon-style drug-dealing with that level of organisation and commerciality about it.” It was Cumbria’s biggest ever drugs supply probe and one of the UK’s largest.
Stephens, of East Field Drive, Golborne, Wigan, was said to have arranged the importation of vast quantities of cocaine into the UK.
Stephen Stockall, 63, of Well Lane, Weaverham, Northwich, was jailed for 12 years. He supplied cocaine to Barnes and had a previous heroin smuggling conviction, the court heard.
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