154 years in prison for gang who operated multi-million pound drugs ring

Credit: Kent Police

Nine men have been sentenced to over 154 years in prison following an investigation by Kent Police and the National Crime Agency, which saw millions of pounds of drugs taken off the streets.

The investigation began in September 2013 after customs officials in Germany contacted the National Crime Agency in respect of a number of packages destined for Swanley, Kent which were found to contain over 100kgs of Class A and B drugs. Investigators from the NCA worked with Kent detectives to follow the boxes to Swanley in Kent.

Detectives observed the boxes being delivered to an industrial unit in New Barn Road, Swanley where one member of the gang – 35 year old Stevie Joyce from Swanley - took possession of the boxes and was arrested.

Sonny Selves, Nicholas Parker, Lee Selves, Stevie Joyce, Royston Jones Credit: Kent Police

Following this arrest a complex investigation took place, which led to the identification of the rest of an organised crime group who were continuing to arrange the importation of millions of pounds-worth of drugs in to the country on a weekly basis. By April 2014 the gang had rented a new industrial unit in Eton in Berkshire, and NCA officers observed the delivery of another set of packages, this time containing 55 kilos of Heroin, that was purported to be car parts being delivered from Belgium.

Mobile phone data was used throughout the case to identify key members of the group and officers struck as the gang attempted to distribute the drugs to other crime groups who had travelled from as far afield as Liverpool, Manchester and Blackburn to collect their share of the drugs, showing the enormous scale of the operation.

The drugs were discovered following a joint investigation with Kent Police and the NCA Credit: Kent Police

The top tier of the group was identified as Stephen Hall of The Green, Romney Marsh and Royston Jones of Dudley Avenue, Westgate-on-Sea, both of whom had since fled the country. Hall was later arrested as he flew in to the UK from Lithuania and Jones was arrested as he landed at Heathrow having been deported from Thailand where he was now living.

On 9 June, following a trial at Maidstone Crown Court, seven defendants were found guilty and on 17 and 18 June were sentenced at the same court to a total of 154 years and four months.

Tom Savvides has a full report with reaction from Kent Police and the National Crime Agency.