In a mad ting down in Nottinghamshire, the feds raided self-storage units packed with an estimated £1m worth of drugs. The crew used these containers as their base for a massive drug-dealing operation. Five firearms, including a loaded shotgun, were also recovered.
Leah Hopkinson, 30, her partner Justin Gibson, 35, and Stefan Houston, 39, were all found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. The trial lasted over three months, but the jury only took two days to convict them. Judge James Sampson remanded the trio into custody, with sentencing set for late September.
The prosecutor, Katya Saudek, said one unit was “the shop” where they branded their packages to look like high-quality imports. They had 7kg of high-purity cocaine and £40,000 in cash. The group's kingpin, Jamie Smith, 37, has already pleaded guilty and was seen moving out of a container with a loaded shotgun.
Other members of the gang, including Matthew Bryan, Shannon Shaw, Keiran Rimmer, Anthony Lumley, Brennan Hayes, Lee Shipman, Jack Smith, and Josh Harmieson, have also admitted their roles. The feds are claiming this takedown has seriously disrupted the drug trade in the area.