An organised crime group supplying class A drugs in Beswick and Manchester city centre has been jailed.
Anthony McKenna, of Rigeway Street in Miles Platting, would supply Jamie Lee Collins, of Purslow Close in Beswick, with substantial amounts of crack cocaine and heroin to run his drug empire.
Collins, 34, recruited Michelle McIntyre and Paul McMullen to advertise and supply the drugs which he then reaped the rewards of.
McKenna, 23, would be in regular contact with Collins to provide restocks of the drugs. In one exchange he asked Collins; ‘you runni low on that yet rkid’ and he replied that he would ‘grab’ more and was ‘cleaning up’.
McIntyre and McMullen acted as street dealers who contacted addicts by sending bulk messages known as flares via a ‘graft’ phone before heading out onto the streets to supply the drugs.
After coming to the attention of GMP’s city of Manchester north challenger team warrants were executed, and they were arrested.
On Thursday 4 November 2021 Collins was at his property when officers executed the warrant. Before surrendering himself to police wearing only his boxer shorts it is believed he quickly flushed away the drugs that he had inside his home.
On the same day a warrant took place at a flat on Samuel Ogden Street in Manchester.
Both McMullen, 51, and McIntyre, 49, both of no fixed address were found asleep on the sofa.
A search of the property led to numerous lists, with the names of people owing debts, being located as well as wraps of crack cocaine and heroin, mobile phones, and drug paraphernalia.
McKenna was arrested on Tuesday 22 February 2022 at his address and two phones were seized.
All four pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine and heroin and were sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on Tuesday 6 December.
McKenna was jailed for six years.
Collins was told he would serve five years and six months in jail.
McMullen was sentenced to two years and five months and McIntyre was jailed for three years and four months.
Detective Constable Chris Anders, from challenger’s City of Manchester north team, said: “The group were operating under a county lines network that is known for profiting from some of the most vulnerable people in our community.
“McKenna was supplying substantial amounts of crack cocaine and heroin to Collins who would then use McIntyre and McMullen to deal the drugs to users.
“During the warrants – which were supported by the Tactical Aid Unit – we seized mobile phones which showed how the gang were operating but also led us to McKenna who was sitting at the top of this supply chain.”
To spot the signs of county lines please visit our website.
If you believe drug activity could be taking place in your community please contact us online via LiveChat, if able, or by calling GMP via 101.
Details can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
