Criminal gang who blighted region with 'industrial scale quantities' of drugs jailed
A criminal gang who blighted a region with millions of pounds worth of drugs have been jailed.
The gang smuggled cocaine, amphetamine, and cannabis into County Durham from Merseyside and distributed them throughout the area.
Former cage fighter Darren Towler, 41, orchestrated the sophisticated conspiracy which involved the use of burner and encrypted phones and frequent communications to transport cash and drugs across the country.
A covert investigation by specialist officers from Durham Constabulary found the gang to be exchanging “industrial scale quantities” of drugs for hundreds of thousands of pounds.
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Police identified more than ten trips between the North East and North West over a five-month period in 2017.
In the boot of one of the vehicles, which was intercepted in Barnard Castle, officers found more than £100,000 in cash wrapped up in two shoe boxes disguised as birthday presents.
Last week, 11 people appeared at Teesside Crown Court to be sentenced for their role in the conspiracy.
Towler, of Rutherford Street, Newcastle, was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine and amphetamine but admitted the same charge for cannabis.
He failed to appear at court, but was sentenced to 24 years in his absence.
His half-brother, Jonathan Kitson, of Riding Hill, Great Lumley, pleaded guilty during his trial to charges of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and a separate charge involving cannabis.
The 28-year-old was jailed for nine years and 11 months.
Jodie Smith, of Main Street, Consett – the former partner of Towler – pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. The 42-year-old was jailed for six years and six months.
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Towler's sister, Anita Towler, 43, of Second Street, Consett, pleaded guilty to the same charge, as did 38-year-old Steven Ruddick, of Pasture Row, near Bishop Auckland.
The pair will be sentenced next month.
Other members of the conspiracy included Craig Field, 40, of Lincoln Place, Consett, who was jailed for five years and seven months after admitting supplying cocaine; Daniel Mappin, 29, of Front Street, Tudhoe, who was jailed for five years and four months for being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin; and Aaron Merritt, 29, of Hallgarth, Consett, who was jailed for 29 months.
John Huscroft, of Thornhill Gardens, Burnopfield, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply. The 45-year-old was handed a 22-month prison sentence, suspended for two months.
Two of the Merseyside contingency were also handed lengthy jail sentences.
Ricky Hemmings, 40, from Kirkby, in Merseyside, was jailed for 12 years and six months.
John Campbell, 48, also from Kirkby, received a six-year and eight-month jail sentence.
