Sixteen men have been handed a combined sentence of over 80 years in jail after their crime gang was ripped apart by police.
Cheshire Police said the men ran a drug supply network which “operated at an industrial level” – sourcing kilos of cannabis predominately from the Manchester and Liverpool areas. The drugs were then distributed in Ellesmere Port and Chester between April 12, 2023, and March 7, 2024.
The force said once the cannabis was obtained, it was stored, prepared for onward sale, and later distributed to middle-market suppliers, who in turn supplied the drugs to others. An investigation into the drugs ring was carried out by Cheshire Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit as part of Operation Heracles.
Cheshire Police said the investigation found significant quantities of cannabis and cash was being stored in multiple storage units at Indigo Business Park, Ellesmere Port, with members of drug gang visiting the location almost daily, as a base for their operation.
Police raids on units in the business park on November 12, 2023, uncovered almost £11,000 in cash and up resulted in the seizure of cannabis worth up to £59,000 the force said. This resulted in further warrants being carried out on March 6, 2024, involving more than 250 officers from Cheshire police targeting addresses linked to the gang across Ellesmere Port and Chester.
Out of the 16 members of the gang, all of whom were technically unemployed, police said 13 were arrested and charged with more drugs and cash seized, bringing the total amount of cash seized in the investigation to more than £29,552. The total amount of cannabis seized was worth up to almost £98,000.
Between Monday January 13 and Wednesday January 15 2025, the 16 individuals appeared at Chester Crown Court and were subsequently sentenced. These included:
Kyle Phillips, 28, of Capenhurst Lane, Ellesmere Port: A total of eight years for conspiracy to supply cannabis and importation of cannabis.
Kyle Phillips
Joshua Burns, 28, of Flint Court, Ellesmere Port: Six years and four months for conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Joshua Burns
Jason Mayers, 32, of Princes Road, Ellesmere Port: Six years for conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Jason Mayers
Daniel Taylor, 40, of Princes Road, Ellesmere Port: Five years and four months for conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Daniel Taylor
Adam Jones, 32, of Durham Court, Ellesmere Port: Five years for conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Adam Jones
Aiden Johnson, 31, of Kenilworth Court, Ellesmere Port: Six years and three months for conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Aiden Johnson
Ryan Neild, 25, of Luton Road, Ellesmere Port: Three years and eight months for conspiracy to supply cannabis and possession with intent to supply cannabis.
Ryan Neild
Daniel Neild, 33, of Luton Road, Ellesmere Port: Four years and six months for conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Daniel Neild
Gary Tushingham, 28, of Downing Close, Ellesmere Port: Six years and six months for conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Gary Thushingham
Nathan Elliott, 31, of Faraday Road, Ellesmere Port: Four years and 10 months for conspiracy to supply cannabis, plus an unrelated matter of possession of criminal property.
Nathan Elliott
Curtis Agarry, 26, of King Street, Ellesmere Port: Four years for conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Curtis Agarry
Thomas Cooper, 23, of Bebington Road, Ellesmere Port: Five years for conspiracy to supply cannabis, plus a separate domestic-related offence.
Thomas Cooper
Ethan McLaughlin, 23, of King Street, Ellesmere Port: Four years and two months for conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Ethan McLaughlin
Bailey Davies, 25, of Oliver Lane, Ellesmere Port: Four years and six months for conspiracy to supply cannabis.
Bailey Davies
Joseph Henry, 34, of Blacon Point Road, Ellesmere Port: A total of five years and six months for conspiracy to supply cannabis and production of cannabis, plus an unrelated incident of affray.
Joseph Henry
Patrick Knowles, 32, of Joseph Groome Towers, Ellesmere Port: Two years and six months for assisting an OCG.
Patrick Knowles
Detectives said Phillips, Burns, Mayers, Taylor, Jones and Johnson played leading roles in the crime group. Between them, they made direct contact with upstream suppliers and “were involved in the transportation, storage, and distribution of cannabis”, as well as coordinating the supply of cannabis through subordinates.
Ryan Neild, Daniel Neild, Tushingham, Elliott, Davies and Agarry also played a significant role and were trusted members of the crime group, helping to collect, store and distribute the cannabis. Adding Cooper also held a significant role in the distribution of the drugs, along with McLaughlin, whereas Henry played a lesser role in the conspiracy and Knowles’ involvement amounted to assisting an organised crime gang.
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The force said Burns, Taylor and Knowles appeared from prison and were charged on March 20 2024. Burns had previously been arrested on September 21 2023, while Taylor was arrested on November 20, 2023.
They were both serving a 16-month sentence for possession with intent to supply cannabis. Meanwhile, Knowles had been remanded in custody for an unrelated matter of assault which he was arrested for in February 2024.
Cheshire Police said that due to the strength of the evidence against them, almost all of the gang members pleaded guilty to their involvement. Tushingham pleaded not guilty but was found guilty after a trial.
Following the sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Nick Henderson said: “I welcome the sentences handed to these 16 individuals, who have collectively been put behind bars for more than 80 years. Each of these men were unemployed with no legitimate income but clearly reaped the benefits of their illegal activities.
“However, our officers embarked on a lengthy and detailed investigation and these individuals are now facing the consequences of their actions, while a large amount of class B drugs have been taken off the streets.
“Operation Heracles demonstrates our commitment to tacking organised crime and drugs offences. I hope this sends a warning to anyone who thinks they can commit drugs offences in Cheshire – you will be caught and held accountable.”