Police found 40kg of drugs with an estimated street value of £1.8m
Members of an organised crime group jailed in Bristol(Image: Avon and Somerset Police )
Five members of a criminal gang have been jailed for almost 54 years after police uncovered millions of pounds of drugs.
Four people were jailed at Bristol Crown Court today (Friday, October 24) for drug offences, a fifth person has been handed a suspended sentence, and a sixth person was sentenced last month.
Three members of the organised crime gang, Justin Pearce, aged 45 of no fixed address, Joshua Batt, aged 28 from Whitchurch, and Leah Murphy, aged 44 of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs, namely heroin and cocaine, and class B drugs, namely amphetamine.
Mark Bourne, aged 49 from Horfield, and Mark Glover, aged 48 from Henbury, both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin).
Janet Chard, aged 68 from Knowle West, pleaded guilty to participating in the activities of an Organised Crime Group.
Bristol Crown Court heard that police carried out a number of warrants and searches in the city and found more than two boxes of more than 10kg of heroin, estimated to have a street value of £1m at a location in a business park off Staunton Lane on November 18, 2024.
Pearce was found in the same room as the boxes of drugs, and Batt, Glover, and Bourne were also in the premises.
Further enquiries led officers to Kingsdown Parade, where they arrested Pearce’s partner, Leah Murphy, on suspicion of drug supply.
Officers found just under £5,000 of cash in her handbag, and roughly £20,000 of banknotes in a carrier bag in the living room.
A further warrant was carried out at a storage unit Murphy rented, and £66,000 in banknotes were also seized.
Police then searched a garage in Down Lane where 10kg of cocaine, 9kg of heroin, and 21kg of amphetamines were found, along with cutting agents and drug paraphernalia. The 40kg of drugs have a combined street value of £1.8m.
Chard was arrested the same day after being identified as the courier for the gang, who transported drugs across the country on several occasions.
The judge jailed Pearce for 15 years, Batt for 12 years, Bourne for eight years and eight months, and Glover for eight years and eight months.
Murphy was sentenced on September 8, was jailed for nine years and seven months.
Chard was given a 20-month jail term suspended for two years.
Talking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Nic Lawson said: “This is a brilliant step in the war against drug crime in Avon and Somerset.
“The actions of our officers has brought down a significant drug dealing ring operating out of Bristol and has seen millions-of-pounds-worth of drugs never make it to the streets.
“Drug use and drug dealing impacts not only the individuals who use and sell them, but also their friends, family and the local community.
“A number of crimes such as anti-social behaviour and violent crime are associated with drugs and, by stopping almost £3million worth of drugs from entering our communities, we have hopefully prevented a number of drug-associated crimes from taking place.”