A gang operating a sophisticated drug trafficking network using the dark web has been dismantled by Merseyside Police. Utilising the Royal Mail postal service, the gang distributed millions of pounds worth of class A, B and C drugs across the UK and internationally, operating from a seemingly inconspicuous storage unit in Birkenhead. The operation, codenamed 'Operation Terminal', led to the seizure of a vast quantity of drugs and the arrest and conviction of five individuals involved in the trafficking.
A sophisticated drug trafficking gang operated a vast network distributing millions of pounds worth of controlled substances via the dark web . Utilizing the Royal Mail postal service, the gang, spanning national and international markets, shipped orders from a seemingly innocuous storage unit in a Birkenhead business park. Merseyside Police 's Operation Terminal brought down this enterprise after months of intelligence gathering leading to a raid on the storage unit in October 2023.
Officers discovered substantial quantities of drugs, including cocaine and ecstasy, within the unit. Further investigation, aided by CCTV footage, led to the identification of key members, including Benjamin Crane, Kylie Collins, and Abbie Crane, also Benjamin's stepsister.Detectives uncovered a crucial link between the storage unit and a local convenience store where a large number of parcels were intercepted and found to contain drugs. This investigation identified Kay Davies as a key player in the operation, responsible for posting numerous parcels for Benjamin Crane on his behalf. Davies' arrest in January 2024 confirmed the gang's primary modus operandi: utilizing pre-postage labels and dropping off orders at the convenience store's post office for mailing through Royal Mail. The police meticulously traced the drugs' origins and ensured a thorough seizure of the illicit goods.The estimated value of the seized drugs ranged from £1.4 million to £2.7 million, encompassing a chilling array of substances: 7kg of MDMA powder, 125,550 ecstasy tablets, 2kg of cocaine, 454g of magic mushrooms, 4kg of LSD, 230 2CB tablets, 8kg of ketamine, and over 320,000 prescription tablets including Tapentadol, Diazepam, and Tramadol. All five individuals arrested faced charges of conspiracy to supply controlled drugs, with a trial held at Liverpool Crown Court in November 2024. Sentencing was adjourned until January 24th, 2025. Benjamin Phillip Crane received a 14-year prison sentence after pleading guilty prior to trial. Bradley Gene Grey, also pleading guilty on the first day of the trial, was sentenced to 10-and-a-half years. Abbey Crane was found guilty after trial and sentenced to nine years. Kylie Collins was also found guilty and received a six-year sentence. Kay Davies, found guilty of five counts, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years. Detective Sergeant Ste Mercer commended the operation's success, stating: 'This was a large-scale drugs enterprise which was being run like a business from a storage unit in Birkenhead. The gang worked together to source, pack and deliver the drugs across the whole of the UK and internationally, utilising the dark web. Suspicions were raised when parcels delivered to the post office were suspected to contain drugs, upon examination hundreds of packages were found to have class A, B & C drugs inside. We carried out a thorough investigation to identify all those who we believed to be involved in either sourcing, packaging or further distributing the drugs. I am sure they believed as their activity was behind the closed doors of a secure unit that they would not be caught out. I am pleased they are all now behind bars for a significant period of time where they can no longer continue to spread misery through their actions.
DRUG TRAFFICKING DARK WEB ROYAL MAIL Merseyside Police Operation Terminal BIRKENHEAD
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