Eight men have been sentenced to a total of 36 years and 9 months for drug offences after a successful operation targeting drug dealing in Weston-super-Mare. The convictions were handed down at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday.
The operation began on Thursday, March 30, 2021, when officers attended a property on Jubilee Road and encountered four of the defendants. During the search, officers discovered Class A drugs, drug paraphernalia, cash, and a black burner phone linked to an active drug supply line.
A thorough investigation was launched into the activities of the group, leading to the discovery of a Class A drug supply network operating in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, and Yeovil.
As a result of planned warrants, officers found quantities of heroin, crack cocaine, cash, knives, and mobile phones. Throughout the investigation, nearly £5,000 in cash, heroin, crack cocaine with a street value of approximately £7,000, and other drug paraphernalia were seized.
Seven of the men pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine. The sentences handed down to the men, all from Weston-super-Mare, are as follows:
– Jordan Moseley, 33, of Shrubbery Walk West, received a prison sentence of seven and a half years.
– Kyle Cox, 25, of Appledore, was jailed for four years.
– Aaron Staples, 26, of Birchwood Avenue, was also sentenced for possession with intent to supply cocaine and possessing a mobile phone in prison. He received a sentence of seven years and two months.
– Liam Simms, 21, of no fixed address, received a prison sentence of six years and four months.
– Connor Kennedy, 20, of no fixed address, was imprisoned for three and a half years in a young offenders’ institute.
– Brandon Truman, 20, of Wilson Gardens, was sentenced to two years and 11 months in a young offenders’ institute.
– Matthew Coombes, 21, of Appledore, was jailed for three years and 10 months.
An eighth individual, Mohammed Shazad Salim, 27, of Ashcombe Road, pleaded guilty to participating in the activities of an organised crime group. He received an 18-month suspended prison sentence for two years and was ordered to complete 160 hours of unpaid work.
PC Howard Brown, the officer in charge of the case, highlighted the persistent issue of County Lines crime, which involves the exploitation of vulnerable individuals in the illegal drug supply chain, causing harm to communities. PC Brown assured the public that law enforcement agencies, including the dedicated County Lines team, are actively combating these activities..
PC Brown emphasised the importance of community involvement in the fight against drug-related crimes. The public is encouraged to share information about drugs activity in their neighbourhoods and report any suspicious signs.
