Jailed organised crime gang who 'rapped about drugs, money and violence' in YouTube music video 'used children as drug runners'

Sixteen members of an organised crime gang have been jailed for nearly 80 years between them for supplying illegal class A substances in Blackpool and using children as drug runners.
PICTURED: (left-right, from top-bottom) Lee Lilliman, Levontay Harriot, Louis Amnerville, Ryan Ncube, Sanchez Njie, Sharna Boaler, Stephen Hodson, Tyrece CadwellPICTURED: (left-right, from top-bottom) Lee Lilliman, Levontay Harriot, Louis Amnerville, Ryan Ncube, Sanchez Njie, Sharna Boaler, Stephen Hodson, Tyrece Cadwell
PICTURED: (left-right, from top-bottom) Lee Lilliman, Levontay Harriot, Louis Amnerville, Ryan Ncube, Sanchez Njie, Sharna Boaler, Stephen Hodson, Tyrece Cadwell

The gang members, 13 of whom have been sentenced over the past three days, were convicted after making a music video in which they rap about drugs, money and violence, police said.

The YouTube footage was presented to the judge during this week’s sentencing at Preston Crown Court.

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In total, 19 members of the organised crime group were convicted of drugs and exploitation offences following Operation Ullswater, a cross border operation between Lancashire Constabulary and West Yorkshire Police which was launched in 2018 to crackdown on the so called ‘SJ’ line, fronted by ringleader Ryan Ncube, 21, from Huddersfield.

(left-right, from top-bottom) Adam Saunders, Jordan Gill-Smith, Craig Davidson, Dakari Brown, David Sharples, Jordan Cogan, Connor Langford, Kaydee Cogan(left-right, from top-bottom) Adam Saunders, Jordan Gill-Smith, Craig Davidson, Dakari Brown, David Sharples, Jordan Cogan, Connor Langford, Kaydee Cogan
(left-right, from top-bottom) Adam Saunders, Jordan Gill-Smith, Craig Davidson, Dakari Brown, David Sharples, Jordan Cogan, Connor Langford, Kaydee Cogan

A series of dawn raids were carried out in both counties leading to various arrests and charges in May 2019.

The court heard how the ‘SJ’ line supplied their customers through the use of a mobile phone line that was used to distribute drugs and cash between Huddersfield and Blackpool, using children as runners.

THE CRIMES - AND SENTENCES

Ryan Ncube, 21, of Scott Vale, Huddersfield was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine) and arranging or facilitating travel of another person with a view to exploitation. He was sentenced to seven years and six months in prison.

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Tyrece Cadwell, 21, of Chestnut Street, Huddersfield was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). He was sentenced to four years and six months in a young offenders institute.

Levontay Harriot, 18, of Deighton Road, Huddersfield was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). He was sentenced to two years and six months in a young offenders institute.

Sanchez Njie, 20, of Brander Road, Leeds was convicted of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). He was sentenced to five years and six months in prison.

Jordan Gill-Smith, 22, of Lower Grange, Huddersfield was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). He was sentenced to four years and six months in prison.

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Craig Davidson, 38, of Thomas Street, Huddersfield was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). He was sentenced to six years and three months in prison.

Kaydee Cogan, 23 of Trafalgar Close, Huddersfield was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). He was sentenced to four years and six months in prison.

Sharna Boaler, 24, of Harrison Street, Blackpool was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). She was sentenced to four years in prison.

Lee Lilliman, 24, of Harrison Street, Blackpool was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). He was sentenced to three years and six months in prison.

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Dakari Brown, 19 of Bulay Road, Huddersfield was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine) and possessing a controlled drug with intent to supply. He was sentenced to five years and six months in a young offenders institute.

Louis Annerville, 20 of Keldregate, Huddersfield was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). He was sentenced to three years and six months in a young offenders institute.

Jordan Cogan, 24, of Trafalgar Close, Huddersfield was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). He was sentenced to three years and six months in prison.

Connor Langford, 21, of Birklands Road, Huddersfield was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). He was sentenced to five years in prison.

SENTENCED IN FEBRUARY

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David Sharples, 32, of Grasmere Road, Blackpool was convicted conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). He was sentenced to four years in prison. He was also convicted of possessing heroin with intent to supply and possessing crack cocaine with intent to supply, and sentenced to 18 months prison time to run consecutively.

Stephen Hodson, 46, of Reads Avenue, Blackpool was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). Sentenced to six years and six months in prison.

Adam Saunders, 46, of Grasmere Road, Blackpool was convicted of possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison. He was also was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine) and sentenced to two years and three months.

Helen Kenyon, 34, of Grasmere Road, Blackpool was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). She was given a community order for two years.

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Adam Percival, 32, of Condor Grove, Blackpool was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). He received a suspended sentence of 21 months.

Suzanne Matthews, 35, of Condor Grove, Blackpool was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (heroin and crack cocaine). She received a suspended sentence of two years.

Detective Chief Inspector Rebecca Smith, of Blackpool Police, said:

“Those who involve themselves in county lines criminality are not just responsible for the supply of class A drugs across the UK, they are exploiting vulnerable children and adults. In some cases, as with Operation Ullswater, making them travel hundreds of miles away from home in order to act as runners for the organised crime groups, placing them at significant risk of serious violence.

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“Today’s result concludes a complex investigation with a lot of hard work by both the investigation team and the CPS. Without this dedication and expertise we would not have been able to secure these sentences today, which should send out a clear message that we will not tolerate county lines exploitation in Lancashire. This gang will certainly not be making any more YouTube videos while they are serving their sentences in prison.

“Our commitment to disrupting and dismantling these groups and this type of criminality alongside our partners is a priority and we will continue with these efforts to ensure we keep our communities safe. My message to these gangs is clear, you are not welcome in Lancashire and if you continue to conduct your criminal activities in this area then expect to be identified and arrested. The safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults is a priority for us all and we continue to focus our efforts on bringing anyone who exploits such individuals to justice. We need the public to continue to work with us to help us tackle this county lines criminality by informing us of any suspicious activity.”

Detective superintended Jim Griffiths, of Kirklees District Police, said:

“This sentencing marks the culmination of a major operation with our partners at Lancashire Police to crack this significant organised crime group, headed by Huddersfield criminal Ryan NCube, and prevent it from causing huge harm in the Blackpool area. The joint operation has supported and dovetailed with our own ongoing work to actively target drugs gangs and dealers in Huddersfield and Kirklees. We remain absolutely committed to hunting out and targeting dealers operating within our force and working with partners to target their activities outside it, as this operation demonstrates.”

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Picture caption: (left-right, from top-bottom) Lee Lilliman, Levontay Harriot, Louis Amnerville, Ryan Ncube, Sanchez Njie, Sharna Boaler, Stephen Hodson,Tyrece Cadwell,Adam Saunders, Jordan Gill – Smith, Craig Davidson, Dakari Brown, David Sharples, Jordan Cogan, Connor Langford, Kaydee Cogan.