Six members from two drug gangs operating in the Southend area have received sentences totaling 25 years behind bars. The Jay and Mus drug lines collaborated, serving as backup for each other when they were too busy or had a shortage of drugs to distribute.
The Jay gang raked in up to £13,000 per week from cocaine sales. When recruiting new drivers, they offered a daily wage of £240 or £62,400 annually for a five-day workweek.
In a swift and thorough investigation, Southend law enforcement executed a series of search warrants in Southend, Rochford, and Benfleet on March 16, 2022. They were supported by officers from various units, including the Force Support Unit, Operational Support Group, Dog Section, Op Falcon team, Southend Community Policing Team, and the Special Constabulary.
During the searches of seven properties and five vehicles, officers confiscated 239 wraps of cocaine, cannabis plants and buds, along with over £25,000 in cash, £12,600 worth of designer trainers, and a bracelet valued at £37,440. Two knives, a hammer, several mobile phones, and unused syringes were also recovered.
Members of both gangs, including their primary supplier, received their sentences on September 22, 2023, at Basildon Crown Court.
Sgt Adam Jarvis commented after the hearing, "The members of these gangs believed they were beyond the reach of the law until my officers caught up with them. Thanks to the substantial evidence we gathered, they had no choice but to admit their criminal activities in court and face appropriate sentencing. We have zero tolerance for those who exploit vulnerable individuals, and we will continue to investigate reports of drug dealing. We urge you to report any information related to drug dealing on our website at www.essex.police.uk/ro or by calling 101. Your information can help us combat and bring to justice other drug gangs that plague our communities."
Eren Karagozlu, 31, of Woodlow, Benfleet, served as the leader of the Jay gang, employing runners to deliver cocaine to customers. He received a prison sentence of six years and three months after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine.
Karagozlu's partner in the operation was David Cadge, 31, of Carnarvon Place, Southend. Cadge was responsible for weighing, cutting, and packaging drugs at his residence for sale. He was sentenced to four years and three months in prison after admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine and possession of cannabis.
Michelle Dennis, 43, of Coleman Street, Southend, was Karazoglu's most trusted runner, working for him three or four times a week. She was sentenced to two years and four months in prison after previously admitting to conspiracy to supply cocaine.
Kingsley Dennis, 46, of Jackdaw Close, Shoeburyness, supplied significant quantities of cocaine to both the Jay and Mus lines. He had previously admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and was sentenced to four years and six months in prison.
Tyler Mihill, 25, of Bournemouth Park Road, Southend, served as the leader of the Mus gang. He received a prison term of five years and two months after admitting conspiracy to supply cocaine and the production of cannabis, following the discovery of a cannabis grow in his bedroom.
Bailey Mihill, 23, also of Bournemouth Park Road, Southend, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and was sentenced to two years and six months in prison.
Two individuals connected to the case were sentenced on December 21, 2022, for their roles in the gangs' operations. Danny Giggs, 37, of Portland Avenue, Southend, a runner for the Jay gang, had previously admitted involvement in the supply of cocaine and possession of cannabis. He received an 18-month suspended jail term for two years.
Mus's top runner, Daniel Watkins, 40, of Middle Mead, Rochford, was sentenced concurrently with Giggs. Watkins delivered cocaine to the gang's customers in the evenings after work. He received a two-year suspended sentence for two years after admitting involvement in the supply of cocaine and was also ordered to forfeit £1,214.05 in cash.
Meanwhile, a suburban Detroit police department recently made an announcement, casting doubt on a woman's claim that her friend, who suffered fatal injuries while lying in the middle of a road, had voluntarily jumped from her moving vehicle. See detailed story here
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