A DRUGS kingpin has been jailed for more than 28 years after his Merseyside-based gang was believed to have sold more than £8m worth of cocaine.

James Kelly, of Bleak Hill Road, Windle led an operation that is estimated to have sold more than 200kg of cocaine between December 2018 and June 2019.

The gang led more than 100 drugs runs across the UK, police say.

On, June 25, 2019, Kelly head of the organised crime group, was arrested by officers at his home in St Helens.

Following a search of his property, officers found £20,000 cash by his front door and two encrypted phones Kelly used to communicate with his crime group, which was selling the drugs on his behalf.

St Helens Star:

Cash recovered at James Kelly's home in Windle

At Liverpool Crown Court today, Wednesday, Kelly, 36, along with five of his associates including his brother Stephen, were jailed for more than 116 years. 

James Kelly was sentenced to 28 and a half years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

St Helens Star:

Stephen Kelly

Stephen Kelly, 42, of Stalmine Road, Liverpool, was jailed for 26 years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. 

He was responsible for the laundering of the proceeds of the drugs conspiracy.

St Helens Star:

Paul Speedy

Paul Speedy, 57, of Cumberland Close, Kirkdale was sentenced to 13 years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

Paul Speedy was a trusted courier for the gang who drove to more than 66 locations across the country.

Speedy drove James Kelly to customer meetings in Bolton, London Gateway Services, Grimsby and Bradford.

St Helens Star:

Mark Dermott

Marc Dermott, 32, of Conway Street, Kirkdale was sentenced to 26 years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and possession of two Section 1 firearms and ammunition.

He supplied the gang with the Class A drugs which they later sold.

Following a search at his home, officers discovered a full industrial drug press in his flat.

Two firearms (Russian made Makarov self-loading pistols) and more than 40 rounds of Bulgarian ammunition were recovered from an address in Old Swan, linked to Dermott.

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St Helens Star:

Guns found recovered in an Old Swan property linked to Dermott

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A ticklist found at Dermott's flat

St Helens Star:

Dean Woods

Dean Woods, 37, of Water Street, Liverpool was jailed for 15 years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

He was also a trusted courier for the gang, making more than 30 trips across the UK.

St Helens Star:

Liam Hart

Liam Hart, 36, of Medbourne Court, Kirkby was sentenced to seven years and six months for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.

He was a trusted courier who was arrested in possession of 4kg of cocaine on the M6 on May 25, 2019 during one of his drugs runs.

How the head of the crime gang operated

James Kelly organised the nationwide, wholesale distribution of multi-kilo quantities of cocaine on a daily basis. 

He arranged for Speedy and Woods (and then Hart) to deliver cocaine to Bradford, Bolton, Newcastle, London (Surrey), Nottingham, Scunthorpe (Grimsby), Sheffield and Wrexham.

He ran the drugs operation from his Windle home.

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The investigation was led by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU).

Temporary Detective Superintendent Ian Hussey from the NWROCU Investigations Team said:

“This crime group were distributing multi-kilos of cocaine, on a daily basis, across the UK to Bradford, Bolton, Newcastle, London, Nottingham, Scunthorpe, Sheffield and Wrexham. James Kelly ran the drugs operation from his home address in St Helens, using members of his OCG to transport and sell the drugs on his behalf.

"He also enlisted his brother’s help to launder the money they made from the selling the drugs.”

“This is an extremely dangerous set of individuals who have links to firearms, two of which were seized, along with ammunition, at an address in Old Swan, Liverpool, linked to Mark Dermott.”

“I hope the significant prison sentences these individuals have received will serve to reassure communities in Merseyside, of how seriously we take drug dealing, and the use of firearms, which have no place on our streets in the North West.”

“If anybody has any information about potential drug dealing or about the use of firearms, I urge you to please to contact police on 101 and tell us what you know.

"Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers and report what you know anonymously on 0800 555 111.”