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Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have smashed a crime ring that was involved in the wholesale and distribution of drugs in the region.
Operation Medusa, set up by force to tackle organised crime, seized up to £380,000 worth of Class A and B drugs.
Several key figures from the crime ring began prison sentences today following a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court (7th June).
William Michael Skillen, 26, of Blueberry Avenue, Moston, was given eight years after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and two counts of conspiracy to supply class B drugs.
Mark Anderson, 26, of Tutbury Street, Ancoats pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to supply class B drugs, and was jailed for five and a half years.
Christopher Phythian, 28, of Longham Close, Beswick pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs, and was jailed for three and a half years.
Lewis Thompson, 26, of Ordsall Lane, Salford pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to supply class B drugs. He was jailed for five years.
Jason Bennett, 41, of Kilmington Drive, Cheetham Hill pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B drugs. He is due to be sentenced 3 December 2012.
Skillen was the head of the network, directing the other members and overseeing the distribution of the drugs around the UK. His associates were all involved in the wholesale of the substances.
The operation began back in January this year when police seized a large block of cocaine with a a street value of £169,000 from two men. It concluded with a raid on Skillen's home, where £10,000 in cash was found in a drawer.
Detective Inspector Stephen Earnshaw, from GMP's Drug Unit, said: "Today is the reward for months of painstaking detective work by our officers to unmask this organised crime group and bring the main players to justice.
"At the head of this network was Skillen, who controlled those around him and was the main man in terms of organising the collection and delivery of large amounts of drugs in both Manchester and the rest of the country.
"By taking him and his lieutenants out of the game, what this means for the law-abiding people of our communities is less drugs on their streets and we know that people are fed up of drug dealers thinking they can strut about acting as if they are above the law.
"The fact is that no-one is above the law and what today shows is that Greater Manchester Police's Drug Unit will use every available tool in our arsenal to expose these drug dealers for the criminals they are. Regardless of whether you are a user, a supplier or the head of a network, we will be watching you and you will be brought to justice.
"I also want to stress that we do not rest when drug dealers are locked up. Using Proceeds of Crime Act legislation, we will hit these criminals where it really hurts - their wallets, and do everything in our power to take the money and property they have earned dealing drugs and profiting from people's addictions off them. Our message is clear: if you deal drugs you will lose your freedom and your assets."
