It can now be revealed how police busted a drugs gang operating in Stroud and Dursley, resulting in 13 people being jailed for a total of 52 years for conspiracy to supply cocaine.
Months of undercover surveillance was carried out by Gloucestershire police as part of Operation Glamorgan, with officers even hiding in hedges to secretly film meetings and drug dealing taking place.
Having identified an organised criminal gang (OCG) in Dursley, the group's leader Lee Fisher was put under surveillance. This led to addresses in Acacia Drive, Dursley, and Gloucester Road, Stonehouse, being highlighted as part of his supply network.
On June 5, 2018, Steven West and his daughter Diane Straszewska were spotted in the McDonald's car park in Hardwicke. West was then observed entering into a black BMW belonging to Matthew Cornwall at the nearby BP garage, carrying a laden JD Sports bag.
Cornwall worked under Andrew Venna, who led an organised criminal gang in Gloucester that worked alongside Fisher's gang. Cornwall worked in conjunction with Venna and Fisher to co-ordinate the supply of drugs with Albanian couriers from London and then distribute them to local drug dealers.
Venna was convicted under Operation Solero, which ran alongside Operation Glamorgan, for wholesale distribution of cocaine obtained from an Albanian OCG in London.
On June 7 West and Straszewska were witnessed making a phone call to Cornwall in a layby near to Fagins pub in Brookthorpe.
On June 22 a search of 14 Acacia Drive, home to Andrew Holdsworth and his mother Tracey, was carried out.
There home was being used as a ‘base’ by Lee Fisher to co-ordinate the supply of cocaine.
Cash contaminated with the drug was seized, as were phones belong to the Holdsworth's which suggested they were active in the supply of cocaine, in particular to Yasmin Anya-Maria. Their messages referenced 'Little Man' - Lee Fisher's nickname.
On July 2 surveillance officers captured a meeting between Lee Fisher's brother Danny, Steven West and Diane Straszewska.
When Danny was arrested he was found with with a bag containing money, drugs and drug debt lists.
He was also found to have communicated to his brother who provided instructions while in drug rehab in Luton.
At least two previously used 1kg wrappings were founds. Several drug lists were recovered from the address showing others involved in drug supply including Rhys Pulley, Jamie Griffey, Mark Bainbridge, Yasmin Anya-Maria and Tracey and Andrew Holdsworth.
Between July 18 and October 26 six key events took place, organized between Rhys Pulley with Matthew Cornwall and involving Matthew Cornwall meeting Steven Pace and Zac Hearle.
On July 18 Cornwall was observed opening the boot of Hearle's car in the Pure Gym car park on Eastern Avenue, Gloucester.
On August 16 Fisher and Venna, who were both under surveillance, drove to McDonald's in Cribbs Causeway to meet. They were observed walking around the car park for half and hour before leaving.
On September 16 Fisher and Venna arranged for Mark Bainbridge to meet with Matthew Cornwall.
Fisher and Bainbridge were spotted calling Cornwall in Leonard Stanley and Bainbridge was later seen getting into Cornwall's BMW in the layby next to Fagins pub in Brookthorpe.
Bainbridge was arrested shortly afterwards and 250g of cocaine were seized from him. He has been jailed for 52 months.
For full sentencing details click the link below.
All the jail sentences handed out to members of Dursley and Stroud drugs gang
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