20 people sentenced to 192 years for drug offences

Merseyside Police can confirm that 20 People (18 men and two women) have been sentenced to more than 192 years after being convicted of conspiracy to supply drugs offences.

The sentencing follows an extensive investigation by the Matrix Serious Organised Crime team into the supply of controlled drugs (heroin). During the investigation on five separate occasions detectives seized heroin (six kilos in total) and eight kilos of adulterant with an estimated street value of between £840,000 and £1.4m. One of the five seizures was at Lidderdale Road (the home of Carl Smyth) where officers recovered heroin and adulterants with an estimated street value of between £600,000 and £1m).

Detective Superintendent Lee Turner, said: "Twenty people have been sentenced today for their part in a conspiracy to supply drugs in Merseyside, Scotland, Devon and Cornwall and South Wales. Amongst those sentenced were four people from Newport in South Wales, three people from Devon and Cornwall and four people from Scotland, who had links to an organised crime group on Merseyside which was distributing drugs around the country.

"Organised crime groups like this, who deal in the wholesale supply and distribution of controlled drugs, don’t care about the impact that supply of drugs has in our communities. But I would like to reassure the decent members of our communities that Merseyside Police is committed to tackling the supply of drugs and we will continue to proactively tackle criminal gangs who think nothing of flooding the streets with dangerous drugs in order to profit from other people's misery. And as today's sentencing shows our investigations have no borders and we will look to bring all those involved to court regardless of where they live."

Det Supt Turner added: "The individuals based on Merseyside expanded their criminal enterprise by setting up a drug supply network in Scotland, Wales and Devon and Cornwall.

"The message is clear - we are relentless in our pursuit of those involved in serious organised crime and will continue to do all we can to put our communities first and remove the threat, risk and harm these individuals bring to our streets.

“I want to take this opportunity to reassure residents that when we receive information about drug related crime and gun crime we will act. In relation to drug dealing, we often have to carry out an extensive operation, which can take some months, to gather evidence to ensure that when we get those involved to court the only option available is a prison sentence.

“But I want to reassure our communities that Merseyside Police is relentless in its pursuit of those involved in serious and organised crime and we will do all we can to find those involved and put them before the courts to keep our communities safe.

“But we cannot do this without the public. We rely on our communities to tell us when there are criminal issues in their area so that we can take positive action and protect our communities. Any information supplied to us in relation to serious and organised crime will be acted upon.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the detectives involved in investigating this complex and far reaching drugs conspiracy, their tenacity has led to the justice that has been served today. I would also like to thank the officers in Gwent, Devon and Cornwall and Police Scotland, who supported our officers during the investigation, prosecuting barrister Ian Unsworth and the Crown Prosecution Service for all their hard work.”

East Gwent Detective Inspector Justin O’Keeffe said: ‘It is very pleasing to see that those who have chosen to engage in this type of criminality, have been convicted of these serious offences and will now suffer the consequences.

“It is through the combined efforts of police forces and other law enforcement agencies across the country that we will continue to actively identify and bring justice upon these criminals.

“We hope this gives out the message that we are committed to tackling this issue which brings such misery to our communities.”

Detective Superintendent of Devon and Cornwall police Ken Lamont said: “This Operation centred on the main suspect Mervyn Hyde who was involved in the supply of Class A drugs across North & West Devon.

“The operation was able to establish a very strong link with Merseyside and an effective liaison and working relationship with their ‘Matrix’ team enabled this wider conspiracy to be established which is I believe reflected in the evidence secured and the extent of the sentences that have been passed.”