East Lancashire drug gang who flooded streets with cocaine brought down in major police investigation
A dozen men involved in flooding East Lancashire with cocaine have been jailed following a major police operation to dismantle an organised crime group operating across the region
The convictions come after a long-running investigation by Lancashire Police, codenamed Operation Chelsea, which uncovered a complex drug supply network centred around key figure Darren McKenzie, who sourced large quantities of cocaine and distributed them to street dealers in Hyndburn, Darwen and beyond.
The group operated between September 2023 and January 2024 and was brought down following months of intelligence gathering, arrests and forensic phone analysis.
All 13 men have now been sentenced following hearings at Preston Crown Court earlier this week.
Organised network uncovered
The investigation began in December 2023 with the arrest of Deon Houghton, a known drug dealer.
His communications led officers to McKenzie, identified as the head of the organised crime group (OCG).
Houghton - described as McKenzie’s “trusted lieutenant”- is due to be sentenced later this year as part of a separate drugs case.
When McKenzie was arrested and remanded in January 2024, police seized his phone, uncovering detailed evidence of drug supply, debts and the structure of the network.
This led to the identification of several street-level dealers who sourced cocaine directly from him, often on credit.
Police say the OCG’s hierarchy was well organised, with McKenzie at the top, distributing drugs through a trusted group of suppliers and dealers who operated locally.
Arrests and raids
A coordinated strike on March 5, 2024 resulted in the arrest of 11 further suspects. Raids across Accrington, Clayton-le-Moors, Great Harwood and Oswaldtwistle uncovered drugs, cash, weapons, and other paraphernalia.
- At Daniel Scholes’ home in Accrington, officers seized mobile phones, drugs, £500 in cash and weapons.
- At Michael Wyre’s home in Oswaldtwistle, they found cocaine, drug equipment and £260 in cash.
- At Joshua Bray’s property in Accrington, cocaine, mobile phones and around £500 were recovered.
- At Eamonn Wyre’s home, also in Accrington, cocaine, weapons, a Rolex watch and cash were found.
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Sentences
The following men were sentenced at Preston Crown Court:
- Deon Houghton, 40, Clayton-le-Moors - Conspiracy to supply cocaine - six years and three months
- Darren McKenzie, 36, no fixed address – Conspiracy to supply cocaine – five years
- Martin Day, 54, no fixed address – Conspiracy to supply cocaine – six years
- Daniel Cregg, 48, no fixed address – Conspiracy to supply cocaine – six years and three months
- Joshua Bray, 31, Accrington – Conspiracy to supply cocaine – three years and nine months
- Daniel Scholes, 34, Accrington – Conspiracy to supply cocaine – three years and nine months
- Liam Threlfall, 29, Great Harwood – Concerned in supply of cocaine and conspiracy to import and supply cannabis –three and a half years
- Allen Aggrey, 44, Droylsden – Concerned in supply of cocaine – two-year suspended sentence
- Jake Duxbury, 27, Accrington – Concerned in supply of cocaine – two-year suspended sentence
- Eamonn Wyre, 57, Accrington – Concerned in supply of cocaine – two-year suspended sentence
- Michael Wyre, 39, Oswaldtwistle – Concerned in supply of cocaine – two-year suspended sentence
- Judson Hickey, 25, Clayton-le-Moors – Concerned in supply of cocaine – two-year suspended sentence
- Lee Murray, 43, Accrington – Conspiracy to supply cocaine – two-year suspended sentence
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‘We will dismantle drug networks’
Det Sgt Stu Peall, of the East Exploitation Team, said: “These men were all cogs in an effort to push cocaine throughout East Lancashire.
“We will continue to target those who seek to sell Class A drugs on the streets of Lancashire, dismantle their drug empires and put them before the courts.”
The action forms part of Operation Warrior, Lancashire Police’s wider strategy to combat serious and organised crime, aligned with Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw’s Fighting Crime Plan.
Mr Grunshaw said: “Successful outcomes like this demonstrate the tireless work being done to protect the public and show that Lancashire is taking a relentless approach to tackling organised crime.
“Strong deterrents and proactive enforcement, driven by local intelligence, are essential. Equally important is early intervention to stop crime before it escalates and to break the cycle of reoffending.”