Gang jailed for supplying £1.5m worth of drugs to Cornwall and Devon
A group of 13 men and women have been sentenced for supplying £1.5million worth of Class A and B drugs to Cornwall and Devon.
Between June 2021 and August 2022, the Organised Crime Group brought cannabis and cocaine into the region from London.
They then supplied it through a network of local dealers across the two counties.
They all appeared at Exeter Crown Court from 17 to 18 July where they were sentenced to a total of 27 years in prison, with some receiving suspended sentences and community orders.
The investigation, named Operation Musical, began in June 2021 after officers in Exeter identified intelligence about drugs being supplied from the Sidmouth area.
The team spent months tracking phone data and building up the picture of the group’s operation, before carrying out a series of raids in August 2022 where they made multiple arrests and seized drugs, cash, and other assets.
Officers identified the group leaders as Philip Fallows and Jamie Chapman, who were orchestrating and coordinating the supply of drugs from London to Sidmouth, where Fallows then arranged for its onward distribution.
The two had trusted couriers within the group who facilitated the movement of drugs within Devon and Cornwall – this included Chapman’s father, Paul Chapman.
Fallows also used encrypted messaging services to liaise with the group and arrange for them to collect it and sell it on to users around region.
On 31 August 2022, officers raided multiple houses and seized cash, cars, and drugs.
Detective Inspector Guy Biggar said: “This was a well-orchestrated operation which facilitated the supply of a significant number of drugs into Devon and Cornwall.
“This investigation began thanks to intelligence and information being reported by the public to police, which allowed officers to start tracking and monitoring the groups messages and movements, in order to take action.
“County Lines drug supply into our communities is not something that we will tolerate, and we will be persistent in pursuing those who seek to bring this harm.
“As this case goes to show, the information reported to us by the public and partner agencies is hugely important.
“I urge anyone who has any information the supply or use of drugs in their community to report it to us so that we can continue making disruptions and bring offenders to justice.”
The full list of those sentenced is below:
Jamie Chapman (33, Hertfordshire) - six years and 10 months
Matthew Topham (31, Camelford) - four years and 10 months
Jack Culip (24, Camelford) - two years and nine months
Philip Fallows (36, Sidmouth) - seven years and eight months
Kelly Thomas (42, Ottery St Mary) - two year and six-month community order
Damien Carnell (38, Sidmouth) - two years and seven months
Paul Chapman (67, Sidford) - three years and three months
Zoe Mardon (49, Salisbury) - 18-month community order
Tia Pryor-Howard (26, Exeter) - suspended sentence of one year and nine months
Gary Hedgeland (31, Ottery St Mary) - suspended sentence of one year and eight months
Scott Baylis (44, Exmouth) - 18-month community order
Jonathan Keene (35, Ottery St Mary) - 12-month community order
Matthew Harris (47, Exmouth) - 18-month community order
George Fallows (40, Ottery St Mary) - due to be sentenced in August