Drug traffickers jailed

Four Bournemouth men have been sentenced to a total of 42 years in prison for their involvement in an organised crime gang believed to have trafficked around half a tonne of cocaine into South Wales and Southern England.
 
The five Dorset men, along with four from South Wales and one from Kent, were convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs on Tuesday, 25 May 2010.
 
Nine of the ten men were sentenced today, 2 July 2010, at Cardiff Crown Court.
 
The gang’s activity was subject to a two-and-half year drugs and money investigation led by the Serious Organised Crime Agency and supported by Dorset Police, South Wales Police, Kent Constabulary and other partners.
 
The investigation began in September 2007, when SOCA officers identified links between the supply of drugs in South Wales and people in Kent and Dorset.
 
A detailed investigation showed that the organised crime gang was made up of three separate groups based in Bournemouth, Kent and the Swansea Valley area.
 
The Bournemouth group, led by 38-year-old Craig Blake, acted as a conduit between the Kent drug supply and the distributors based in South Wales. It is also believed that this group distributed drugs throughout Dorset.
 
Blake’s ‘right-hand man,’ 36-year-old Gareth Davies, was responsible for the day-to-day running of the group, which also included 30-year-old Michael Green, 33-year-old Matthew Howgate and 33-year-old Lee Cutler.
 
Blake would meet with Gareth Davies face-to-face, but he would use unregistered mobile phones and telephone kiosks to speak with the other members.
 
This group was dismantled throughout the course of a covert SOCA-led operation, culminating in the arrest and charge of the men in Bournemouth during 2009.
 
Detective Superintendent Mark Cooper, Dorset Police’s Director of Major, Serious and Organised Crime, said: “Today’s outstanding result came about after a long and complex multi-agency operation.
 
“Dorset Police is committed to detecting, dismantling and disrupting serious organised crime groups – at all levels – and today’s sentencing should send out a clear message that the Force works relentlessly to bring offenders to justice.
 
“I believe that this result reflects the seriousness of these crimes, in which the offenders showed complete disregard for the law and dealt in the misery of drugs for financial profit.”
 
Craig Blake was sentenced to 16 years and 8 months.
Gareth Davies was sentenced to 12 years.
Michael Green was sentenced to 9 years.
Matthew Howgate was sentenced to 5 years.
 
Lee Cutler is due to be sentenced next Friday, 9 July, at Cardiff Crown Court.
 
Anyone with information regarding the supply of illegal drugs should call Dorset Police in confidence on 01202 222 222 or the free and anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111 where mobile phone tariffs may apply.