A group of drug dealers who were attempting to bring three kilograms of cocaine into Gloucestershire have been jailed for a total of more than 17 years.
Two members of the group were arrested at a service station on the M5 with the drugs being discovered stashed in a carrier bag under the front seat.
John Rogers, aged 29 and of Wheelers Walk, Stroud; Kirsty Sansum, aged 30 and of Stroud; Kingsley Williams, aged 28 and of Thespian Road, Churchdown; and Aaron Russell, aged 30 and of Ifton Road, Caldicot, were all sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court earlier this month (Tuesday 10 December).
They had all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine at an earlier hearing following an investigation by Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Serious and Organised Crime Unit.
Rogers and Sansum were arrested at Strensham Services on the M5, close to Upton Upon Severn, on 11 March this year as part of a police operation.
Three large blocks of cocaine, weighing a kilogram each, were found in a plastic bag that they had put in the front passenger footwell of the Volkswagen T-Roc they were driving. It was estimated to have a street value of between £240,000 and £300,000.
Both of them were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply cocaine.
Through the meticulous investigation of mobile phones and analysis of data, detectives were able to determine that Rogers and Sansum had been working with Russell and Williams.
It revealed that cocaine had been orchestrated to be collected by the group on at least two other separate occasions, showing the true scale of the operation.
Williams and Rogers had been exchanging messages on Snapchat while Rogers had been talking to Russell over WhatsApp to arrange the deals, which took place in February and March this year.
A further Snapchat group had been set up between the three men in order to make further arrangements.
Russell and Rogers also discussed the collection of debts from other customers, which the court heard was being used to finance the bulk purchase of cocaine.
Officers arrested Russell and Williams in June and they were charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
In total, the four were accused of obtaining and supplying more than five kilograms of Class A drugs which they were selling on to Gloucestershire-based drugs dealers.
In mitigation, the court heard that both Williams and Russell had a number of references from the prison regarding their good behaviour.
Rogers, who has been in full time employment since his arrest, became involved after being threatened over a drugs debt, the court was told, while Samsum has made efforts to turn her life around since her arrest.
Rogers was sentenced to five years and three months in prison; Williams was jailed for six years and nine months; and Russell was sentenced to six years behind bars.
Sansum was sentenced to 32 months reduced to two years suspended sentence, with drug rehabilitation order for nine months and 100 hours unpaid work.
The judge also ordered forfeiture of £1,400 and a Rolex watch belonging to Russell under Section 27 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Detective Inspector Matt Phillips, of the Serious Organised Crime Unit, said: “This was a significant conspiracy to bring thousands of pounds worth of drugs into our county.
“These drugs would have eventually ended up on our streets, bringing misery to the lives of our communities.
“Considering no drugs were found on Russell or Williams, the level of investigation and the length of their sentences demonstrates that we will work tirelessly to bring those involved in the drugs trade to justice.”
