The line operated in Buxton(Image: MEN Media)

A drugs gang peddled cocaine and heroin from Salford to Buxton. Run by leader Niall Fisher, 26, and assisted by Dale O’Sullivan, 31, they recruited couriers and local dealers into supplying class A drugs into areas suffering from drugs.

On day one of a two-day sentence hearing at Manchester Crown Court, the court was told how the JJ drugs line infiltrated the small town.

Prosecuting, Henry Blackshaw said that the conspiracies took place from November 2023 to August 2024 and involved the supply of crack cocaine, cocaine and heroin. It involved ‘county lines’ drug dealing, dealers from a large city supplying drugs into a smaller town.

“The people at the top of this operation were based in Salford – this is where the wholesale quantities were being supplied from. The drugs were being supplied into Buxton – parts of which have an entrenched class A drugs problem,” he said.

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The court heard Niall Fisher was at the ‘top’ of the conspiracy, and was assisted by Dale O’Sullivan, who was described as his ‘lieutenant’.

“Their drug dealing business, operated under the name, “the JJ line”. Within the team it is apparent that Fisher was known as “Triple J” and O’Sullivan as “Double J”,” Mr Blackshaw added.

“While Fisher travelled to Buxton regularly, it is clear that O’Sullivan was the main presence out of the pair of them, seemingly often staying down there through the week and returning to Salford at weekends.”

He described Fisher as the ‘controller’ and O’Sullivan as the ‘organiser’.

Kayleigh Harrison, 28, ended up being the most senior of the others involved in the conspiracy, acting as a conduit for the cash and point of contact with O’Sullivan.

The team marketed the drug via the JJ line, and used ten different mobile numbers over the course of the conspiracy to replace another if it was detected.

When the number changed, a message reading ‘JJ New number’ would go out to contacts before flare messages such as ‘Active with both shout me JJ’ and ‘drops in 20’.

The phones were also used to organise management of the team including checking how business was going, providing information about police presence and dealers in Buxton reports how much money they had made.

The JJ line numbers were operated using contact free ‘pay-as-you-go’ SIM cards. Scott Whysall, 37, was later caught on CCTV buying phone credit at a garage whilst he was with Niall Fisher.

It was the arrest and analysis of O’Sullivan’s phone in August 2024 that led to the identification of the others involved.

Shakeel Stubley, 19, was arrested at his phone on Fairfield Road. He was curled up on the bed and when asked who he was he stated that he was “Shakeel from Salford”.

Prosecutors described him as a ‘paid employee’ who was holding the drug line and stock to deal to the local market.

Ermon Shala, 46, also known as ‘Albo’ was in regular contact with O’Sullivan and acted as a courier, Mr Blackshaw said.

Harrison, 28, was described as ‘trusted’ and said her relationship with Shala was like ‘Bonnie and Clyde.

In messages to Anthony Fagan, 40, a local drug dealer, she said: “I’ve just given Albo that bit of doe so he can set off back home.” She then wrote: “Will you be dropping any cash off later mate?”, to which his response was “Should be shortly I’m on 430 lol”.

She responded: “Bloody hell you’ve done well then mate. We’ll [sic] give us a ring when you on your way up as don’t wanna be to bed to late”. She then asked him to ‘save her a .2’ to satisfy her drug habit, it was said.

The court heard that Fagan and Damien McCarron, 46, acted as low level drug dealers around Buxton.

Defending O’Sullivan, Dan Gaskell said he became involved after developing a drug habit. He said he worked four days a week and went home to his family on the weekend.

For Harrison, Megan Edwards, said she had a traumatic and disruptive childhood and had been using drugs as a teenager. She said she had been ‘exploited and groomed’.

Daniel Travers, defending Stubley, said he was ‘young’ and was tempted by money with the added influence of those older than him.

The defendants will be sentenced tomorrow, with Niall Fisher and Edmond Shala to be dealt with separately in September

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Niall Fisher, 26, of Portland Road, Eccles, earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Dale O’Sullivan, 31, of Salford, earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs

Kayleigh Harrison, 28, of Welbeck Avenue, Buxton, earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Damien McCarron, 46, of Hapur Hill, Buxton, earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Anthony Fagan, 40, of Buxton, earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Shakeel Stubley, 19, of Salford, earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Scott Whysall, 37, of Buxton, earlier pleaded guilty to participating in the activities of an organised crime group.

Edmond Shala, 46, of Winton Road, Salford, earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs.