| DRUGS GANG JAILED FOR MORE THAN 100 YEARS | |
| 19 May 2010 SEVEN men have been jailed for a total of 106 years in prison for their part in a major drugs and firearms conspiracy spanning the UK, Europe and South America. Michael Hailwood, Martin Graham, Edward McIntosh, Lucasz Litwinski, Karol Siejda, Jason Bowley and Leslie Graham all pleaded guilty to drugs offences in relation to Lancashire Constabulary’s Operation Greengage. They were sentenced today (Tuesday 18 May 2010) at Liverpool Crown Court. Officers from the force’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit began the operation in November 2006, the main subject of which at this time was Ivan Hue of Robin Street, Preston. The investigation identified that Hue was using a network of couriers, which included close family members and friends, to transport funds to Amsterdam to pay for controlled drugs that would be subsequently imported into the UK.
Officers identified four Fiat Multipla’s that Hue’s group had purchased in late 2006 in the North of England and Arbroath in Scotland. Using these vehicles, numerous trips were made between the UK and Amsterdam, with money being exchanged at both ends. Drugs and firearms were being smuggled into the UK via the specially modified Multiplas. As the investigation progressed, an extensive organised crime group operating across England, Scotland and Europe was identified. It became apparent that an Organised Crime Group within Scotland was already being investigated by the Scottish Crime and Drugs Enforcement Agency. Their investigation was focused on Edward McIntosh and Michael Hailwood who were involved in the importation of cocaine into the UK using predominantly Eastern European men who were flying into the UK with drugs stored internally.
Between October 2007 and December 2007, police in Holland were using telephone intercepts (wire – tap) to listen to the calls of Hailwood, McIntosh and another man as part of a separate operation. These calls showed that human couriers (primarily of East European origin) were being used to import cocaine direct from South America to the UK via the European mainland. These conversations are corroborated by evidence from airlines where the organisers and couriers are listed on flights from/to South America and from/to the European mainland. The investigation identified that the couriers were travelling by air to Edinburgh and Aberdeen Airports where they would be collected on arrival and taken to houses or hotels in the Arbroath, Dundee and Fife area. There could be as many as three people on any one flight. These couriers were accompanied personally by Michael Hailwood, Leslie Graham or other trusted associates to supervise the couriers during the flights. It is known that couriers have also used Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds/Bradford, Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airports to deliver commodities to the UK for onward supply into England and Scotland. Various ports within the UK were also used by the crime group. Enquiries have shown that Hailwood, Leslie Graham and Jason Bowley have all visited South America. The Argentinean Authorities have assisted the investigation providing evidence of travel into and out of the country and details of money transfers into that country that would undoubtedly have been used to fund the importations. In August 2008 Hailwood, who is originally from Liverpool but was living in Amsterdam, was stopped by the police in the Netherlands driving one of the Multiplas. The vehicle was seized and later searched by Lancashire Constabulary where it was found to contain one pellet of cocaine. Hailwood was arrested and charged as a result of the ongoing operation. Detective Superintendent Steve Mounsey, who worked in the Serious and Organised Crime Unit at the time of the operation, said: “Today’s sentences reflect the very serious nature of these crimes and, quite rightly, these people will now be spending a very long time behind bars. “Operation Greengage has been an incredibly complex and protracted investigation and required many hours of hard work from the investigation team. As a result of that hard work, a large, sophisticated crime group, spanning the UK and mainland Europe, has been dismantled, preventing untold quantities of drugs and firearms being brought into Lancashire and prevented inevitable harm to local and wider UK communities. “This operation highlights first class co-operation between Lancashire Constabulary, other police forces in the UK and Europe as well as agencies such as the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency and the Crown Prosecution Service. “While Lancashire Constabulary is committed to targeting those organised crime groups operating within the county, which impact adversely upon its communities, we will also relentlessly pursue criminals from outside of the county if they enter into criminal conspiracies with their Lancashire associates. They should expect the same level of investigation and will inevitably receive a knock on their door from Lancashire police or one of its European partners. Detective Chief Superintendent Allan Moffat, Head of Investigations Group at the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency (SCDEA), said: “These criminals are now where they belong – firmly behind bars serving much-deserved jail terms. They were responsible for trafficking illegal drugs into communities across the UK, using a variety of methods and routes to conceal their activity from law enforcement. The possession of firearms provides an indication of the callous and violent nature of these individuals and their blatant disregard for public safety. “We welcome today’s sentences – not only does their incarceration provide some respite to the communities affected by their criminality, but it sends a very strong message to other criminal gangs that law enforcement will track them down. The successful conclusion of this investigation illustrates the benefits of intelligence-led policing and collaboration.”
Joanne Cunliffe, Crown Advocate from the CPS Complex Casework Unit in Lancashire, said: “This international crime gang was responsible for smuggling large amounts of class A drugs and firearms into the UK, which would have been destined for the streets of Lancashire and other parts of the UK if their operations had not been intercepted by police. As a result of the successful prosecutions that we brought against them these organised criminals are today beginning substantial prison sentences, and the danger that they posed has been removed. “This is an excellent example of interagency liaison. From an early stage we set up close partnerships with our Scottish and foreign investigative and judicial counterparts ensuring that good lines of communication were established. As a result we were able to obtain the necessary evidence required to build a strong case against the gang, ensuring that convictions were secured.” Martin Graham DOB: 12/07/1966 Address: Kirkland Walk, Methil, Fife Pleaded guilty (on 22.02.10) to: conspiracy to supply class A and class C drugs Sentenced to: 11 years for conspiracy to supply class A drugs and six years concurrent for conspiracy to supply class C drugs Michael Hailwood DOB: 20/02/1971 Address: Amsterdam, formerly of Cherry Tree Road, Liverpool Pleaded guilty (on 26.01.10) to: conspiracy to supply class A drugs Sentenced to: 22 years Edward McIntosh DOB: 04/03/1977 Address: Spitalfield Place, Arbroath, Angus Pleaded guilty (on 30.04.09) to: conspiracy to supply class A and class C drugs Sentenced to: 16 years for conspiracy to supply class A drugs and nine years concurrent for conspiracy to supply class C drugs
Lucasz Litwinski DOB: 29/04/1986 Address: Glenogil Drive, Arbroath, Angus Polish national from Augustow Pleaded guilty (on 15.06.09) to: conspiracy to supply class A and class C drugs Sentenced to: 15 years and four months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs and seven years concurrent for conspiracy to supply class C drugs Karol Siejda DOB: 06/10/1989 Address: Eskdale Rise, Allerton, Bradford Pleaded guilty (on 05.02.09) to: conspiracy to supply class A and class C drugs Sentenced to: 12 years for conspiracy to supply class A drugs and six years concurrent for conspiracy to supply class C drugs Jason Bowley DOB: 13/07/1974 Address: Holmewood Road, South Northwood, Croydon Pleaded guilty (on 18.11.09) to: conspiracy to supply class A drugs Sentenced to: 15 years and four months Leslie Graham DOB: 15/09/1977 Address: Peddie Street, Dundee Pleaded guilty (on 18.11.09) to: conspiracy to supply class A drugs Sentenced to: 14 years and eight months
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