Merseyside Crime Group Jailed for Over a Century in Major Drugs and Firearms Bust
A refined Merseyside organized crime group has been dismantled following a 15-month investigation,resulting in over 100 years in prison for twelve individuals involved in a large-scale drugs operation and the possession of deadly firearms. The case, wich unfolded after police bugged a Mercedes, reveals a network that trafficked cocaine, heroin, and cannabis while also stockpiling Skorpion submachine guns and a self-loading pistol.
The investigation began on July 13, 2023, when Merseyside Police searched two flats on Condron Road North in Litherland, initially seeking firearms. While the initial search yielded no weapons, a crucial breakthrough came from a listening device planted in a vehicle belonging to key suspect, Joshua Hayes. This device captured conversations from June 21, 2024, revealing plans to conceal firearms within a flat, specifically “in a hole in the wall,” requiring the services of a plasterer to ensure they were “proper safe.”
Following this intelligence, officers revisited the flat of Michael Caldwell, a known drug user, and discovered a hidden “void” in the walls containing three bags wrapped in a tea towel. Inside were two Czech-manufactured Skorpion submachine guns and a self-loading pistol, alongside expanding bullets designed to inflict maximum damage. Forensic analysis linked Caldwell’s DNA to one of the Skorpions, while DNA from Georgie Medway and teenager Thomas Ball were found on the other firearms.
The operation was centered around a “large scale street dealing operation” run by Hayes, who authorities say supplied class A drugs to a “lot of different customers.” The listening device revealed Hayes boasted about the value of his “graft phone” – the mobile phone used for drug dealing – estimating it to be worth around £200,000. He also claimed to supply approximately a quarter of a kilogram of cocaine every five days,operating between midday and 2 a.m. daily, and referred to himself as “the Boss Man.”
Over the period of January to July 15, 2024, authorities estimate the group supplied approximately 9kg of cocaine, with a wholesale value ranging from £252,000 to £324,000 and a potential street value of £360,000 to £900,000. Hayes laundered proceeds through the Monzo and Revolut bank accounts of Kayla Wilson,and entrusted others,including Aaron O’Brien,with managing his drug phone while he vacationed abroad,including a trip to Turkey with Harrison and Medway.the home of Stephen Sutter was used as a location for packaging drugs for distribution.
Further investigation revealed Adam Dean was tasked with managing the supply of cannabis, while others played roles in the distribution network. Here’s a breakdown of the sentences handed down:
- Joshua Hayes (of no fixed abode) was sentenced to 21 years for conspiracy to possess prohibited firearms and ammunition, conspiracy to supply ketamine and cannabis, and crack cocaine production.
- John Newton (of rydal Avenue,Crosby) was sentenced to four years for conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs.
- Aaron O’Brien (of Sonning Avenue, Litherland) and Kayley Wilson (of Eden Vale, Netherton) were jailed for six years and eight months, and four years and ten months respectively, for conspiracy to supply class A and B drugs and conceal criminal property.
- Stephen Sutter (of Osborne Road, Litherland) received a six-year and eight-month sentence for conspiracy to supply class A drugs, conceal criminal property, and possession of cannabis.
Detective Chief Inspector Tony Roberts of Merseyside Police stated, “I am in there’s no doubt whatsoever that communities across merseyside are safer now that these individuals are behind bars.” He emphasized the danger posed by the group’s weapons, noting that such firearms have been used to kill innocent people. Roberts added, “Their enquiries established that these criminals were in possession of perilous weapons, meaningful quantities of drugs and large sums of illicit cash. Officers on the ground then acted with courage and speed to detain the offenders in their homes, in cars and on the street.” He urged the public to continue providing data on organized crime activity, assuring them that police will “do everything we can to protect our communities.”
