A drugs gang has been sentenced for trying to flood North Wales with heroin, cocaine, and ketamine, causing serious concerns for local communities.
Wrexham: A drugs gang has been sentenced for trying to flood North Wales with illegal substances. They were caught moving heroin, cocaine, and ketamine from Liverpool.
Anthony Howey, 40, led the group. He was arrested after a wild chase in Kirkby. He caused damage to three police cars while trying to escape. Rhys Jones, 26, ran the Wrexham operation from his prison cell.
Police launched Operation Leap to tackle this drug conspiracy. They tracked 28 trips between Liverpool and Wrexham over a few months. Howey sourced the drugs and sent them to Jones.
When police visited Jones in prison, he tried to hide a phone in his underwear. This phone was used to coordinate the drug deals. Howey was caught shortly after, leading to his arrest.
In total, the drugs had a street value of around £70,775. The judge expressed concern about how easily Jones operated from jail. He criticized the prison system for allowing such access to phones.
Howey received a seven-year sentence for each Class A drug charge. Jones got five years, plus extra time for harassing an ex-partner. Other gang members also received significant sentences.
The judge highlighted the serious harm these drugs cause to communities. He emphasized the need for protection against the influx of drugs from the north west of England.
