Long read: “Relentless digging, joining the dots, and creating a catalogue of evidence”

Taking drugs off the streets isn’t always about finding that one big haul of drugs, a drugs factory, or a so-called 'king-pin' leading the operation.

It's about relentless, dogged policing over months, building a case-load of evidence of conspiracy and a creating a catalogue of information about the activity of the criminals involved.

When that picture is painted, we frame it by presenting a case file to the Crown Prosecution Service to bring them to justice.

This is exactly how our officers brought down an organised drugs ring of 11 people operating between Lincoln and Gainsborough, with Class A cocaine shipped in from Leeds, Leicester and Scunthorpe. The final five of that group has now been sentenced, bringing the total time in prison for all to more than 67 years.

The investigation was led by officers from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) and Lincolnshire Police. It started as a result of intelligence about suspected drugs activity, which led to a stop of a car on the A15 which was being driven back from Scunthorpe by 37-year-old James Will, of Exley Square, Lincoln. Officers searched his vehicle and found it contained a kilo of cocaine. Detectives working the case were able to show that same journey had been carried out at least eight times.

This led to an investigation which uncovered a number of other names of people believed to be involved. Following arrests, electronic devices were seized and combed through by cyber experts. One mobile phone owned by Jake Mann, 34, previously of Goldsmith Walk, Lincoln, contained a wealth of information about drug deals and those involved.

But the team needed more than this to build their case.

The investigation moved on to examining the suspects’ movements, and gathering evidence which linked them to the conspiracy. Further digging eventually led our investigators to identify connections between suspects on the electronic devices and their physical whereabouts. The uncovered evidence showed that the conspiracy was orchestrated principally by Navenby-based Danny Long (35), of High Dyke, and involved cocaine being supplied from then Leeds-based Ben Drummond, Leicester-based Christopher Cartwright, and Stephen Tootell from the Scunthorpe area.

Drummond (39), previously of Outwood Lane, Leeds, Cartwright (37), of Swinford Avenue, Leicester, and Tootell (39), of Ville Road, Scunthorpe all had couriers working for them.

The drugs were sold both in Lincoln and Gainsborough between June 2019 and February 2020.  

Six of those involved pleaded guilty before the first trial commenced at Lincoln Crown Court in January 2023, four pleaded guilty during trial, and a final defendant was found guilty following the trial.

The sentencings of the final five men were delayed due to legal challenges during the court process, but took place at Lincoln Crown Court on Wednesday 22 May. 

DS Nick Hakes led the investigation. He said: “This investigation was a long running and complex enquiry and has been concluded by the exceptionally hard work of the investigation team. Their relentless digging enabled us to create a catalogue of evidence so overwhelming that those charged could not escape the truth of their actions – or the harsh reality of the consequences.

"It is testament to the quality of the work produced by the officers involved, that in the face of overwhelming evidence, we had so many guilty pleas. The impact of their sentences will be felt most acutely by their families, and I would ask anyone involved in this type of offending to consider this outcome before they find themselves faced with a similar fate." 

The below people all pleaded guilty before trial, and were sentenced on Wednesday last week (29 May) at Lincoln Crown Court:

• Christopher Cartwright, aged 37, of Swinford Avenue, Leicester, was charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine. He was sentenced to 10 years 6 months
• Stephen Tootell, aged 39, of Ville Road, Scunthorpe, was charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine. He was sentenced to 6 years 9 months
• Spencer Watkins, aged 48, of Prospect Place (previously Jameson Bridge Street), Market Rasen, was charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine, possession with intent to supply of cannabis and production of cannabis. He was sentenced to 5 years 3 months for the conspiracy to supply cocaine, and 9 months each for the other two offences, to run concurrently.
• James Will, aged 37, of Exley Square, Lincoln, was charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine, possession with intent to supply of cannabis and production of cannabis. He was sentenced to 9 years 2 months for the conspiracy to supply cocaine, and 9 months each for the other two offences, to run concurrently.
• Ben Drummond, aged 39, previously of Outwood Lane, Leeds, was charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine. He was sentenced to 10 years 5 months.

A further six people had already been sentenced in August 2023 and October 2023 for their involvement: 

• Martin Addlesee, aged 43, of Theaker Avenue, Gainsborough, was found guilty following a trial in February of conspiracy to supply cocaine. He was sentenced to 8 years.
• Daniel Long, aged 35, of High Dyke, Navenby, pleaded guilty before trial to conspiracy to supply cocaine, which he was sentenced to 11 years and two months.
• Jake Mann, aged 34, of Goldsmith Walk, Lincoln, pleaded guilty before trial to conspiracy to supply cocaine. He was sentenced to 6 years.
• Leanne Dye, aged 29, of Willow Court, Washingborough, pleaded guilty at trial to conspiracy to supply cocaine. She was sentenced to 4 years and 7 months
• John Woodrow, aged 45, of Gladstone Street, Gainsborough pleaded at trial to conspiracy to supply cocaine, which he was given 7 years and 1 month.
• Another 43-year-old man form the Gainsborough area was sentenced for conspiracy to supply cocaine and production of cannabis, and given a 2 year sentence, suspended for 2 years, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work in connection with the conspiracy to supply cocaine. He was also given a 3 month sentence for the cannabis offence, which was to run concurrently and also suspended.

Following on from their enquiries, the team also launched a separate investigation into money laundering, and brought a charge of money laundering against Kerry Long. Long, 37, of High Dyke, Navenby, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 2 years and three months.