Twenty four people have been sentenced – with over half a century’s time in prison handed down – in a widespread clampdown on drug dealers in Tameside.
GMP’s year-long Operation Suffield tackled the supply of heroin and crack cocaine and the production of cannabis.
More than £22,000 in cash has been seized, in addition to a large haul of heroin, cocaine and cannabis which police estimate to have a street value of over £4,000.
The two dozen offenders aged between 21 and 47 yesterday received custodial sentences totalling more than 50 years.
Warrants were executed in Tameside last June and July, with 21 people arrested and later charged.
Subsequent work from the Tameside Organised Crime Team and the Serious Crime Division discovered further organised crime groups in the region, with a further five later arrested and charged.
ABOVE (L-R, from top): Wayne Wilson, Anthony Shaw, Arron Lowe, Ayander Kombe, Babal Hussain, Ben Anderson, Callum Souter, Carl Morrison, Christopher Glover
ABOVE (L-R, from top): Daniel Logan, David Reeve, Jamal Hussain, Karl Heapy, Kyle Souter, Michael Connole, Michael Platt, Nicky Horabin, Thomas Stringer
Detective Constable Joseph Harrop of the Tameside Organised Crime Team said: “This sentence sends out a message to the organised crime members from Tameside that we will never give up on our fight against this type of crime.
“Communities have told us that they want drugs and drug dealing tackled across the borough, and I hope that today’s sentences show that we will do everything in our power to catch those who are responsible for flooding our streets with drugs.
“Drugs cause widespread destruction to users and have a damaging impact on the community.
“This operation took months of intricate planning and dedication by a large team of officers from across the force.
“I would like to thank the communities of Tameside for their support in helping us to make their community a safer and happier place to live.”
Police have appealed for the public to get in touch if they are aware of anyone committing crime in their area. They can be contacted on 101 or 0161 872 5050.
Concerns to crime or anti-social behaviour in Tameside should be addressed to the Tameside Neighbourhood Policing Team directly on 0161 856 9350.
Top image courtesy of Elle Kay, with thanks
