A cocaine kingpin and members of his organised crime gang who sold vast amounts of drugs across Buckinghamshire have been jailed for a combined total of 66 years.
The five men who were involved in supplying industrial quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine across Bucks, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire were sentenced at Oxford Crown Court today (Friday).
Patrick Gray, aged 44, of Radford Close, Oxford, and Mohammed Ali, aged 50, of Chervil, Milton Keynes, were found guilty of conspiring to supply cocaine following a trial at Oxford Crown Court, which concluded in February this year.
Lewis Court, aged 37, of Cuddesdon Way, Oxford, Richard Gray, aged 33, of Barley Court, Witney, and William White, aged 36, of no fixed abode, had earlier pleaded guilty to the same offence.
- Richard Gray, sentenced to 21 years’ imprisonment
- Patrick Gray sentenced to 18 years’ imprisonment
- Mohammed Ali sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment
- Lewis Court sentenced to seven years and eight months’ imprisonment
- William White sentenced to seven years and eight months’ imprisonment
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From March 2020 to May 2021, the organised crime group conspired to supply huge amounts of drugs to persons unknown across the Thames Valley and Wiltshire.
Operation Sedate, an investigation launched by the Thames Valley Police's organised crime unit, found that the enterprise was run by Richard Gray and his brother Patrick Gray.
The investigation uncovered that Richard Gray and others travelled to Lancashire to purchase drugs, before returning to Oxfordshire, where they stored the substances in the homes of gang members and at a rural farm.
While they were kept in these locations, the organised crime group prepared the drugs to be sold to customers across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire.
Police raids carried out in May 2021 uncovered 2.8kg of cocaine and 18.3grams of crack cocaine, as well as £158,000 in cash.
With a street value of around £40 per gram, the cocaine recovered was worth well over £100,000.
The five defendants were all charged in May 2021. Richard Gray, Court and White later pleaded guilty to the charges of conspiring to supply cocaine.
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Patrick Gray and Ali denied the same charge but were found guilty by a jury in February.
The investigation was launched thanks to an Operation Venetic package sent to Thames Valley Police which showed the 'encro handle' Cheetahsoda belonged to Richard Gray.
Operation Venetic is a UK law enforcement response to the takedown of the encrypted communications platform EncroChat.
Using the package, Thames Valley Police learned about the gang's illegal activities by reading Richard Gray's encrypted messages.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Gavin Toney, of the Serious Organised Crime Unit, said: “The sentences passed down to these men today marks the end of a significant intelligence-led investigation following information received from the National Crime Agency.
“This was a very significant drug supply network, and those convicted brought large quantities of class A drugs into the Thames Valley with the intention of flooding the area with them.
“Following the execution of a series of warrants on 26 May 2021, officers located quantities of these drugs along with large sums of cash.
“I would like to pay tribute to all of our officers and staff, and our partners at the Crown Prosecution Service and the NCA for their support in securing these convictions and sentences.
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“As a result of this successful partnership work, five members of this OCG will now spend significant spells in prison as a result.
“We will never tolerate the production and supply of drugs in our communities.
“They cause untold harm, particularly to those who are vulnerable, and tackling this type of criminality remains one of Thames Valley Police’s top priorities.
“Five major figures involved in the supply of class A drugs have now been brought to justice, and they will be unable to bring harm to our communities for many years to come.
“Our Stronghold team will proactively and robustly pursue and prosecute offenders, and our activity will be both visible and covert to ensure that the harm brought into our communities by organised crime groups is removed.
“I would like to reassure our communities that we will continue to tackle drug supply and will continue to bring offenders before the courts where they belong.
“I would also urge anybody who has information about drug supply and production to get in touch with police.
“You can do so in the strictest confidence, either by calling 101, or by reporting anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
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