Men who buried cocaine in protein pots in Gloucestershire countryside jailed
A drugs gang who moved almost £500,000 worth of wholesale cocaine, cannabis and ketamine through Gloucestershire have been jailed.
The three men attempted to evade police by hiding their drugs by burying them in protein powder pots in the Stroud countryside.
Gloucestershire Constabulary sent a covert team to monitor two of the men before arresting them and seizing a large amount of crack cocaine and cash from their makeshift music studio in Nailsworth.
The men appeared at Gloucester Crown Court today (December 8), following the surveillance-led investigation run by the force's Serious and Organised Crime Unit.
Charles Bryan, aged 23 and of Merretts Mill in Nailsworth, received a total of 10 years in prison.
Harry Blackwell-Smith, aged 27 and of Ragnal Lane in Nailsworth, received a total of eight years in prison.
Courier John Jose, aged 20 and of Shipton Road in Woodstock, received a total of three years and four months in prison.
The drugs supply group were initially detected after the Encrochat feature was being used to discuss and organise their crimes.
These phones which were sold to the men as 'police proof' were supposed to be encrypted to protect them, but The National Crime Agency found the communications coming from Gloucestershire.
Police then launched Operation Seabrooke, to monitor the phones.
Police say the messages were 'explicit' in discussing large quantities of drugs and the practicalities of moving and delivering them.
These messages went between the handles TallTender and ShinyGoose, who were in fact two Stroud-based men - Bryan and Blackwell Smith.
The sentencing Judge heard how they oversaw the supply of large amounts of high-quality crack cocaine among other drugs.
Bryan, who the judge said had a leading role in the organisation, then worked with a courier, Jose, from the Oxford area to move the drugs in and out of the county.
Detective Inspector Matt Phillips, who led the investigation said: "During covert observations of Bryan it was noted his unusual method of storing his drugs and cash.
"He would keep it in fields and woodland behind his home address. Bryan had buried an empty Whey Protein barrel in the ground and marked it with branches over the top and he kept thousands of pounds in drugs and cash in the barrel in the ground.
"Despite the fact Bryan and Blackwell-Smith appeared to have taken every available precaution to try and avoid getting caught - this result shows that no-one is above the law. If you deal drugs on this scale we will find you and we will convict you."
Anyone with concerns or information about the supply of controlled drugs is asked by police to call 101 or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.