Drugs gang sentenced to 52 years

A gang of drug dealers and money launderers including a man and woman from Warrington have been sentenced to a total of 52 years at Liverpool Crown Court.
It follows a 13-month investigation into the supply of class A controlled drugs in Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester.
The investigation was carried out by officers from the North West Regional Crime Unit in conjunction with officers from Cheshire Constabulary, including the Cheshire Vector Team and centred on the distribution of drugs from Wincham in Cheshire, Atherton in Manchester and Newton Le Willows in Merseyside. Drugs seized during the operation have a total value of £350,000
All were convicted of conspiracy to supply class A drugs and/or money laundering at Liverpool Crown Court.
The gang was led by Michael Siddeley, aged 37 from Chapel Street, Wincham, Northwich who was jailed for 10 years, with a subsequent 5 year travel restriction outside the UK. He organised the supply of the drugs from his villa in Spain and relied on a sophisticated network to prepare, bag and supply the drugs to the streets of Cheshire, Manchester and Merseyside.

Also convicted were:
Darren Podmore, aged 35 from Holford Farm, Northwich – 8 years;
David Fairhurst, aged 47, from Stanley Street, Atherton in Wigan, 6 years 8 months;
Darren Hardman, (pictured) aged 38, from Evans Place, Warrington – 6 years 8 months;
Ernest Gaunt, aged 42, from Sussex Road Partington – 7 years;
Ashley Podmore, aged 18 from Danefield Road, Northwich – 2 years 8 months;
Kenneth Southam, aged 22, from Parkfield Road, Northwich – 5 years 4 months;
Amie Houghton, aged 20, from Parkfield Road, Northwich – 12 months suspended;
Beata Siddeley, aged 34 from Alder Street, Newton Le Willows – 4 years;
Bobby Finemore, aged 20 from Pevensey Road, Salford – 14 weeks suspended for 18 months (money laundering);
Stephen Gaunt – aged 37 years, from Melvin Avenue, Wythenshawe – 200 hours community order. (money laundering);
Laura Thompson, aged 31, from Evans Place, Warrington – 5 Months, suspended for 18 months, and a drug rehabilitation order. (Money Laundering);
Kelly Grundy, aged 34 years, from Chapel St, Northwich, has been convicted but is still awaiting sentence, also for money laundering.

The North West Regional Crime Unit is part of TITAN; a unit set up by the North West forces to combat serious and organised crime in the region. It is focused on intelligence, the confiscation of assets and enforcement. In total,107 officers are dedicated to investigating organised crime groups in the North West.
Detective Inspector Black from the Regional Crime Unit said : “These sentences show how seriously the courts and the police take the supply of drugs in the region. This was a long investigation into a wide-ranging conspiracy aimed at delivering heroin and crack cocaine onto the streets of the North West. These drugs blight our society and cause misery for families. We are committed to bring to justice those who deal in these commodities”
“This sentence today is not the end of the investigation. Our colleagues from the Regional Asset recovery Team, also part of TITAN, will now investigate this group with a view to identifying and confiscating the profits made from this illegal trade.”
Information from the public is vital is investigations like these, and anyone who has information relating to persons they believe to be dealing in drugs should contact their local police force, or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555111.