An organised crime group who was involved in the supply and distribution of approximately £29,780 worth of class A and class B drugs in and around the North Hull area in a bid to expand their network and take over the community, have been sentenced to a combined total of 22-years-and-eight-months behind bars.

The ringleader of the organised crime group, Ryan Longley, alongside his five associates, Nathan Heath, Cody Heath, Anthony Partington, Bernard Wileman, Chantelle Kershaw, all appeared separately before Hull Crown Court and pleaded guilty after being charged in connection, admitting their involvement in the drugs network.

• Ryan Longley, 28, of Feldane, Hull was charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, concerned in the supply of heroin, concerned in the supply of cannabis and was sentenced to six-years.

• Nathan Heath, 29, of no fixed abode was charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, concerned in the supply of heroin and was sentenced to four-years-and-ten-months in prison.

• Cody Heath, 26, of Pulman Street, Hull, was charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, concerned in the supply of heroin and was sentenced to four-years-and-ten-months.

• Anthony Partington, 29, of Greenwood Avenue, Hull, was charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, concerned in the supply of heroin and was sentenced to two-years-and-three-months.

• Bernard Wileman, 60, of Garrowby Walk, Hull, was charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine, concerned I the supply of heroin and was sentenced to two-years-and-six-months.

• Chantelle Kershaw, 31, of Greenwood Avenue, Hull, was charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and concerned in the supply of heroin and was sentenced to two-years-and-three-months.

Detectives launched an investigation into the organised crime group after officers executed a misuse of drugs act warrant at a property on 47th and 38th Avenue in Hull on Tuesday 6 December 2022 where officers recovered approximately £1500 in cash, cannabis, and a mobile phone and Longley was arrested at the scene.

From evidence gathered and the use of mobile phone data, officers were quickly able to establish that the phone was being used to supply class A drugs, mainly heroin and crack cocaine, to the North Hull area after numerous text messages were found relating to the supply of class A drugs.

Officers identified that Longley had a managerial role, making decisions when wages could be paid and how much drugs could be taken by the controllers. Conversations showed that Longley was coordinating four drug lines, with various messages from Longley’s associates telling him how much stock they had left. Cody Heath was identified as a result of these messages and was subsqently arrested.

Detectives continued to gather evidence surrounding the gangs’ activities and throughout 2023, the team then went on to carry out further warrants following a proactive policing operation in the Orchard Park area of North Hull.

On Tuesday 21 February, officers conducted a search of a property on Greenwood Avenue in Hull. Upon entering the address, officers seized what was believed to be £13,700 worth of crack cocaine and heroin, around £6000 in cash and recovered a number of burner phones. Kerkshaw, Wileman, Partington and Nathan Heath were all arrested and later charged the following day (Wednesday 22 February).

Following a lengthy investigation, officers identified Cody Heath had taken over Nathan’s role and him and Longley were both charged on Tuesday 4 April for their involvement in the gang’s activity.

Officer in the case, Police Constable Claire Dobson leading the investigation said: “I hope this outcome will serve as a warning to others looking to deal drugs in our towns and cities that we won’t tolerate it.

“By stopping this gang’s activities, we have prevented significant amounts of drugs from being sold on the streets of Hull and the associated crime and anti-social behaviour that goes with this kind of offending.

“It’s really important that we take people involved in drug dealing off our streets. At the heart of drugs operations are exploited members of our community that need help to break the chain and be set free from exploitation.

“I would like to thank all the people who contact us with information about drug dealing and drug-related crime in their areas”.