Stanley Woods, 21, the leader of a Southampton drug gang, has been sentenced to nearly seven years in prison alongside 17 other members of his criminal network. The gang was involved in smuggling cannabis and Class A drugs into Southampton and surrounding areas.
Between June 2022 and January 2023, the group received a combined total of 33 years and eight months in prison for offences committed between April 2019 and December 2020.
The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Serious and Organised Crime Unit led the investigation, which began in April 2019. Working with Border Force and other agencies, police uncovered a large-scale smuggling operation that used multiple postal firms to import cannabis into Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, and Dorset.
Authorities seized more than 58 kilograms of cannabis valued at over £500,000, alongside £38,000 in cash and over £50,000 in cryptocurrency. Additionally, five antique firearms, knives, crossbows, machetes, and other weapons were confiscated during the bust.
Woods ran the drug ring by importing drugs from Europe, Canada, and the United States between 2019 and 2020. Packages were sent to him and his associates, including his partner Jade Stubbs and her brother Luke, before local distribution. Cannabis was the primary drug sold, but MDMA and cocaine were also trafficked.
The gang used runners to move the drugs and laundered profits into Bitcoin to obscure their financial trails. Police seized Woods’ phone during a 2019 raid, which revealed his network and led to further arrests. Among those apprehended were Daniel Sivyour, Tyler Williams, and Zak Blake, who were caught with large quantities of cannabis and weapons following police pursuits.
Woods exploited a legal loophole by purchasing antique guns and modifying them into working firearms. These weapons were distributed to gang members, some as young as 15, who were armed with guns, crossbows, and knives to defend their territory. Police alerted the National Ballistics Intelligence Service about this threat, prompting a government crackdown.
Since September 2021, owning certain antique firearms without a licence has been illegal, closing the loophole that had contributed to a rise in violent crime in Southampton.
His Honour Judge Rowland condemned Woods as the clear kingpin of the operation and praised Detective Constable Swift and his team for analysing over a million lines of data to dismantle the gang.
“Little need be said about the misery caused by the supply of illegal drugs. This activity generates further crime with the interaction between criminal gangs,” the judge stated.
Detective Constable Swift added, “Thanks to the hard work of our officers, we’ve dismantled a gang that caused huge drug-related harm and violence in Southampton. Woods is behind bars, and the city is safer. This case exposed how organised crime exploits vulnerable people and used a firearm loophole that has now been closed.”
Sentences handed down include:
- Stanley Woods: 6 years 8 months plus ordered to repay £774,655 made through crime
- Daniel Sivyour: 6 years 6 months for dealing cannabis and cocaine
- Edward Nunes: 3 years for cocaine and MDMA supply
- Stacey Burton: 3 years 3 months for cannabis and Class A drugs
- Zak Blake: 18 months for cannabis and Class A drug conspiracy
- Tyler Williams: 2 years for cannabis supply, Class A drugs, and dangerous driving (also banned from driving)
- Others received suspended sentences and community orders depending on their involvement
Police urge anyone with information about drug crimes or illegal weapons to contact Hampshire and Isle of Wight police on 101, report online, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Originally published by UKNIP.
