A total of 17 people have been jailed for more than a century for their part in a multimillion-pound drug operation that spanned the East Midlands and South Yorkshire.
The East Midlands Special Operations Unit uncovered the operation that flooded class A drugs into the Chesterfield and Sheffield. One vehicle search allowed officers from South Yorkshire police to find £680,000.
This led officers to discover over £1.2 million in cash, as well as a 9mm handgun and 20kg of cocaine from the operation that originally started in 2022.
While most of the indivduals involved in the operation reside in Sheffield, there are a number of the 17 indivduals who have ties with London addresses. As a result of the evidence found by the joint operation 12 of the gang pleaded guilty before their trial at Derby Crown Court on December 6.
- Jake Roderick, 24, formerly of Keswick Drive, Newbold, pleaded guilty to: conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conspire to conceal, disguise, convert, transfer, remove a criminal property, possession of a firearm without certificate and possession of ammunition without a certificate and was sentenced to 16 years in prison.
- Leon Wagstaff, 30, formerly of Queen Street, Brimington was charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspire to conceal, disguise, convert, transfer, remove criminal property and was sentenced to 9 years 4 months in prison.
- Torrington Smith, 35, formerly of Samuel Close, Sheffield, was charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was sentenced to 6 years and 8 months in prison.
- Bradley Cocking, 25, formerly of Edinburgh Road, Newbold, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was handed a 7 years 10, months prison sentence.
- Micah Hibbert, 27, formerly of Weakland Crescent, Sheffield was charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and possession with intent to supply Class B and was sentenced to 5 years 3 months in prison.
- Kyle Rayworth, 36, of Woodhouse, Sheffield, was charged and pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, for which he was sentenced to 6 years and 10 months in prison.
- Bradley McCarthy, 31, formerly of Oxspring Bank, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to the following charges: conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was sentenced to 4 years 8 months in prison.
- Luke Mills, 38, of Shuttlewood Road, Bolsover, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was sentenced to 6 years and 10 months in prison.
- Andrew Brocklehurst, 30, of Welfare Avenue, Chesterfield, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was handed a 4-year prison sentence.
- Nathan Hitchcock, 26, formerly of Epping Grove, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs, for which he received a 5-year and 6-month prison sentence.
- Brandon Coulding, 26, formerly of Edinburgh Road, Newbold, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and was subsequently sentenced to 4 years and 10 months in prison.
- Ryan Marshall, 28, formerly of Sands Close, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and received a prison sentence of 10 months.
Earlier this year, a number of individuals involved with this operation appeared in front of Derby Crown Court after a twelve-week trial, where they denied their part in the operation. However, they were eventually found guilty and handed the following sentences:
- Casey Johnson, 32, formerly of Kirkstone Road, Newbold, Chesterfield, was charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and was sentenced to 6 years and 10 months in prison.
- Nicky Haycock, 26, formerly of Harwood Gardens, Sheffield was charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and given 9 years 3 months in prison for his part in the operation.
- Tania O’Brien, 40, of Greenwood Crescent, Sheffield, was charged with Conspiracy to supply Class A drugs- bailed -6 years 11 months.
- Salah Nahar, 27, of St Leonards Avenue, Harrow, London was charged with entering into, concerned in acquisition, retention, use or control criminal property and handed a 4 year and 3 months prison sentence.
- Raza Shan, 34, formerly of Petworth Road, Oldham, was charged with supplying a class A controlled drug and was sentenced at an earlier hearing to 6 years and 8 months.
Detective Inspector Tom Bentley, who led the investigation into the group, said: “The jail sentences for this group reflect the really serious harm that they, and those like them, do to our communities.
“This was a sophisticated gang – who not only profited greatly from their illegal activities – but were also clearly prepared to defend their criminal enterprise with lethal firearms.”
Three other men were also sentenced for their parts in the operation. They were handed the following charges:
- Soner Gunn, 34, of Verdon Street, Sheffield, was charged with conspiring to conceal, disguise, convert, transfer, or remove criminal property.
- Said Homily, 54, formerly of Glenhurst Road, North Finchley, London has been charged with conspire to conceal, disguise, convert, transfer, or remove criminal property.
- Ilyas Gunn, 36, of Endcliffe Grove Avenue, Sheffield has been charged with conspire to conceal, disguise, convert, transfer, or remove criminal property.