Crime tsar Winston Roddick has congratulated North Wales Police after 26 people who conspired to supply controlled drugs were jailed for a total of 127 years.
Twenty three men and three women, all from the Caernarfon and Manchester areas, were sentenced at Caernarfon Crown Court for their part in conspiring to supply class A and B controlled drugs into North Wales between 2009 and 2014.
In total the 26 received over 127 years imprisonment which is the most significant sentencing this region has ever seen for one investigation.
Mr Roddick CB QC, the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “These prosecutions have dealt a significant blow to the illicit drugs trade and they send an important message that dealers will be hunted down and brought to justice.
“As we’ve seen here, dealing with the supply of drugs is a major challenge because it is a real scourge on society perpetrated by organised crime groups and the route of drugs into North Wales is mainly if not exclusively is along the A55 from the North West of England.
“I would like to congratulate the team involved in this investigation. The force has an extremely robust attitude towards cracking down on drugs offences but there is no room for complacency.
“Our aim is to make North Wales a safer place by reducing crime and the perception of crime by giving the public reassurance.
“My overriding objective is that people should feel secure at home and safe in public places and that the police should be visible and available when needed most.
“Tackling the curse of organised drugs gangs is therefore a key objective of the Police and Crime Plan.”
Detective Superintendent John Hanson Head of Major Crime North Wales Police said “The communities of North West Wales are a safer place in which to live, visit, work and socialise today after the successful conclusion of this investigation.
“This has been a protracted and often complex investigation into the unlawful activities of an organised crime group who have established criminal links across the North West of England to facilitate the distribution of controlled drugs into North West Wales.
“This criminal gang contained a number of violent individuals who would use and threaten violence as part of their criminality however the communities in which they operated were not prepared to tolerate this behaviour. I am grateful for their support and for the commitment and assistance we received from law enforcement colleagues and multi-agency partners. This has been a collective effort with a very positive outcome.”
