Drug gang jailed for total of 70 years

The four were sentenced to a combined 70 years at Minshull Street crown court today (Tuesday).

Colin McCaffrey, 31, of Bank Street, Golborne was sentenced to 22 years for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Shaun Morfitt, 37, of The Grange, Cleveland, was sentenced to 18 years for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Dean McCaffrey, 30, of Brede Walk, Sale, was sentenced to 22 years for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Raymond Gilham, 31, of Longley Lane, Northenden was sentenced to eight years and eight months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

The four were sentenced as part of Operation Petral, a crackdown on the supply of class A drugs and organised crime in Manchester, Preston and Cleveland between March and October 2015.

In September 2015 a vehicle was stopped travelling from Manchester to Cleveland with a hidden compartment containing two kilos of cocaine.

On the same day a warrant was executed at an address in Northenden where six kilos of cocaine and approximately three kilos of heroin were seized.

In October 2015 a search was conducted at an address in Droylsden where a kilo of cocaine was recovered inside the property.

A further kilo of cocaine was recovered later in the day from a vehicle in the Droylsden area.

Further enquiries revealed the group had been involved in the distribution of £4.5million of class A drugs.

Detective Inspector Rob Cousen, of GMP’s Serious and Organised Crime Group, said: “Drugs cause widespread damage in the community and they will not be tolerated.

“This is a fantastic result and I hope it sends the message that we relentlessly pursue and dismantle organised groups that seek to profit from flooding the streets with these substances.

“I want to pay tribute to the operational teams and the members of the public who played a vital role in finding and convicting these men.”