Nottingham detectives went undercover to expose 15 men involved in a St Ann’s-based drugs operation.
Police ran an operation involving test purchases in the area between September 2014 and January 2015 and uncovered a network of people dealing in heroin and crack cocaine.
Four were eventually found guilty following a trial and 11 others pleaded guilty. All were sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday July 1, with the men jailed for between 11 years and 30 months.
Detectives uncovered the ‘MD’ or ‘Biggy line’, which operated in The Wells Road area, the ‘LD line’, which ran exclusively in the Brewsters Road area, and another line, which dealt in Sneinton, were all identified.
Det Chief Insp Karen Pearson said: “Drugs lines are a business. They are the new territory, which are being bought and sold between individuals.
“They also cause disputes, as traditionally there has been over the conventional physical territories.”
The sentences in full
After a trial, the following were found guilty and sentenced on July 1:
- Reion Swanwick, aged 27, of The Wells Road in St Ann’s: 11 years
- Adam Swanwick, aged 24, of Lathkill Close in Bulwell: 7 years
- Kieron Langley, aged 27, of Pearmain Drive in St Ann’s: 7 years
- Phillip Mills, aged 52, of The Wells Road, Nottingham: 3 years
The following previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced on July 1:
- Kamen Rushton, aged 21, of Ransom Road in St Ann’s: 3 years
- Shannon Davison, aged 22, of no fixed address: 5 years 8 months
- Ashton Swanwick, aged 23, of Hendon Rise in St Ann’s: 4 years
- Gareth Wrenn, aged 24, of no fixed address: 30 months
- Farid Ashtari, aged 29, of Denby Court in Netherfield: 6 years
- Matthew Clewley, aged 24, of Dale Avenue in Carlton: 3 years
- Joelle Moore, aged 25, of Bendigo Lane in Sneinton: 40 months
- Callum Nugent, aged 27, of Gordon Road in St Ann’s: 7 years
- Lewis Anderson, aged 21, of Cranbrook Street in Nottingham: 5 years
- Leian Marshall, aged 23, Sedgley Avenue in Sneinton: 40 months
- Elijah Henry, aged 19, of Penryn Road, St Ann’s: 4 years
She added: “We all know the health dangers of illegal drug use but there is a much wider impact on the community and society as a whole that is not always recognised.
“Drug use can lead to subsequent crimes in order to sustain the habit and drug dealing more often than not has roots in organised crime which can involve human trafficking, sexual exploitation and violent crime.
“With that in mind the significance of these recent convictions should not be underestimated.
“These jail terms mean those involved in the three lines have now had to hang up the phone meaning no more drug dealing and no more subjecting our communities to their violent crimes.
“These convictions do not mark an end to our investigations into this type of criminality.
“Certainly, if we identify numbers of those trying to buy drugs on phone lines of this type, don’t be surprised if you also find a police officer at your door.”
