Failsworth pair part of drugs gang caged for more than 50 years

Connor Maguire was sentenced to two years and eight months. Pictures courtesy of Greater Manchester Police

Two men from Failsworth were part of an organised crime network who have been jailed for a total of more than 50 years.

The gang distributed cocaine, heroin and cannabis across Greater Manchester and the West Midlands.

This follows an extensive police investigation - codenamed Operation Friction - led by GMP’s Serious Organised Crime Group, who investigated the activities of the group who were heavily involved in the supply of Class A and Class B drugs across the two regions.

The court heard how throughout the course of the investigation, police seized over five kilograms of cocaine and heroin and almost £250,000 in cash.

The network unravelled on Thursday, September 6, 2018 after key players were identified.

Almost £88,000 was seized from Tyrone Carter-Spencer after he was stopped at junction 14 on the M6 by the Central Motorway Policing Group following extensive enquiries carried out by GMP detectives.

Just over a month later, on Tuesday, October 9, 2018, officers executed a warrant at an address on Heathbank Road in Blackley where they recovered over four kilograms of cocaine.

Later that day, Greg Pattinson was stopped on City Road in Hulme as he travelled from the West Midlands into Manchester. More than £52,500 in cash was seized from him.

On Thursday, October 25, 2018, following covert surveillance, officers stopped Simone Jackson on Athol Street in Whalley Range where she was found with 1.2 kilograms of heroin that she tried to dispose of in a bin after claiming she thought it was food.

Examination of Taron Lee’s mobile phone identified that the group made over £750,000 in just over a one month period.

Detective Inspector Tony Norman, of GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Group, said: “This was a meticulous operation that remains ongoing but we have been able to bring 14 people to justice over the last few days.

“I would like to thank our partners and colleagues in the West Midlands who fully supported our investigation, enabling us to achieve this result. Hopefully this goes some way to illustrating how serious we are in our efforts to remove drugs from our streets.

“I hope that today’s sentence serves as a message that we will continue to target organised crime networks and are committed to finding those who seek to infiltrate our communities with drugs.

"These people profit from the misery of others and their illicit activities must be stopped.”

Yesterday (Monday), the final of the following 14 people were sentenced at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square:

• Liam Maguire, aged 26, of Hardman Lane, Failsworth was sentenced to three years and four months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply drugs and money laundering

• Connor Maguire, aged 20, of Hardman Lane, Failsworth was sentenced to two years and eight months after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply drugs and money laundering

• Reece Headlam, aged 25, of Neden Close, Openshaw was sentenced to six years and eight months

• Rio Haughton, aged 30, of Skerton Road, Stretford was sentenced to five years

• Dwaine Thomas, aged 37, of Demesne Road, Whalley Range is due to be sentenced at a later date

• Simone Jackson, aged 39, of Demesne Road, Whalley Range was sentenced to two years

• Karl Hill, aged 38, of Springthorpe Green, Birmingham was sentenced to six years

• Greg Pattinson, aged 39, of Ellerby Grove, Birmingham was sentenced to three years and nine months

• Taron Lee, aged 21, of Ruby Street, Moss Side was sentenced to seven years

• Terrain Lee, aged 21, of Ruby Streed, Moss Side was sentenced to two years and six months

• Steven Ngoue, aged 24, of Heathbank Road, Blackley was sentenced to three years and nine months

• John Diaczuk, aged 56, of Stockport Road, Levenshulme was sentenced to three years and nine months

• Tyrone Carter-Spence, aged 22, of Great Stone Road, Stretford was sentenced to one year and six months

• Shaun Watson, aged 30, of Penkridge, Stafford was sentenced to two years and six months

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