OFFICERS from Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit have foiled a criminal conspiracy which brought hundreds of thousands of pounds of high purity cocaine, heroin and cannabis into the county from London, Cardiff and Birmingham.

Following a trial, the final six men involved in the large scale drugs enterprise were sentenced today (Friday May 1) at Bristol Crown Court.

The key player in the conspiracy, Gloucester man Marlon Douglas, received a total of 13 years in prison, while henchmen David Cruse, from Evesham, and Karl Jones, from Quedgeley, were given eight year jail sentences.

Former footballer Leon Jeanne, who ran the Cardiff side of the operation, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison.

Meanwhile Cheltenham men Levi Kelly and Jamie Townsend received suspended sentences.

Eight other people have already been convicted and sentenced for their part in the conspiracy.

Gloucestershire Constabulary’s undercover operation into the gang ran between May 2013 and January 2014 and involved a range of techniques including surveillance, analysis of mobile telephones and the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology.

In total officers identified over 10 trips out of Gloucestershire by members of the gang to purchase cocaine, heroin or cannabis.

Over five kilograms of cannabis were seized from various locations and over a kilogram and a half of cocaine, some of which was a strong as 89% pure, was recovered.

One of the key events during the investigation happened in December 2013 when officers from Thames Valley Police attempted to stop a car on the M40 that was being driven by Douglas’s girlfriend Zara Meredith, from Gloucester, and also contained Jason Hopper, from Cheltenham.

The vehicle failed to stop and led officers on a high speed chase into the centre of High Wycombe where Hopper was able to flee from the vehicle and run away from the pursuing officers.

Officers used a police dog to try and track Mr Hopper and search the local area. They located a bag hidden in a nearby church yard that contained one kilogram of high purity cocaine that would have been destined for the streets of Gloucestershire.

These drugs alone would have been worth between £40,000 and £50,000 or over £150,000 when cut to a street purity.

After the trial, Detective Sergeant Matt Phillips said: “This was a sophisticated operation that saw a significant quantity of high quality drugs being transported into the county, destined for the county’s streets.

“Douglas was the main man. He had registered a part worn tyre business exporting tyres to Africa but in reality he was making most of his money from his illegal activities.

“While he left much of the dirty work to others he would still occasionally travel with his associates to oversee deliveries and was caught on camera with Jones at a service station when one such exchange was made.

“Significantly, when we arrested him on return from Amsterdam in April 2013 he was also found in possession of a business plan for his drug dealing.

"It included a number of slang terms for the drugs, specified roles for certain named people, geographic locations to target and an idea of how much money he was going to charge for the drugs he would sell.

“At the end of the plan was a list of “rules” that his staff had to abide by, such as counting all money received and only carrying as much as was required.

“This was one part of some very compelling evidence we managed to compile against the group but the thorough investigation that followed helped us take out some major players in the illegal drugs trade in the county and beyond.

“I hope the public are reassured by our actions and would urge anyone with information about drug crime to call us on 101 or via Crimestoppers anonymously on 800 555 111.”

Summary of results

 

  • Marlon Douglas, 34 and of Oak Tree Close, Hardwicke, Gloucester -  Pleaded guilty to cannabis conspiracy. Convicted at trial on Cocaine conspiracy. Jailed for 13 years.
  • David Cruse, 26 and of Evesham Road, Cleeve Priors, Worcestershire - Pleaded guilty to cannabis and cocaine conspiracy. Jailed for 8 years.
  • Karl Jones, 31 and of Longfield, Quedgeley, Gloucester - Pleaded guilty to Cannabis conspiracy. Convicted at trial on Cocaine conspiracy. Jailed for 8 years.
  • Jason Hopper, 26 and of Admiral Close, Cheltenham -  Pleaded guilty to cannabis and cocaine conspiracy. Jailed for 6 years and 8 months.
  • Zara Meredith, 28 and of Aylands Gardens, Gloucester - Pleaded guilty to cannabis and cocaine conspiracy. Jailed for 3 years.
  • Abel Matumba, 23 and of Tarrington Road, Gloucester - Pleaded guilty to cannabis and cocaine conspiracy. Jailed for 4 years 8 months.
  • Leon Jeanne, 34 and of Heol Trostre, St Mellons, Cardiff - Pleaded guilty to cocaine conspiracy. Jailed for 2-and-ahalf years.
  • Levi Kelly, 36 and of Brown Close, Cheltenham - Pleaded guilty to cannabis conspiracy. Given a 3 month prison sentence, suspended for 2 years.
  • Jamie Townsend, 23 and of Lipson Road, Cheltenham - Pleaded guilty to cannabis conspiracy. Sentenced to 4 months in prison, suspended for 2 years.
  • Jamie Germaine, 42 and of Pepys Crescent, Llanrumney, Cardiff - Pleaded guilty to cannabis conspiracy. Sentenced 16 months in prison.
  • Stefan Pryce, 34 and of Trafalgar Avenue, Peckham - Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin and crack cocaine. Jailed for 14 months.
  • Shane Walsh, 22 and of Waterloo Street, Cheltenham - Pleaded guilty to cannabis conspiracy. Sentenced to 6 months in prison.
  • Everton Richards, 28 and of Linden Road, Gloucester - Pleaded guilty to cannabis conspiracy. Given a suspended sentence.
  • Hedley Meredith, 65 and of Ayland Gardens, Gloucester - Pleaded guilty to possession of criminal property. Given a conditional discharge.